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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26056750">Through the Eyes of a God</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/karamidori/pseuds/karamidori'>karamidori</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Bloodline Haruno Sakura, Dai-nana-han | Team 7 Bonding (Naruto), F/M, Gen, Multi, Rinnegan User Uzumaki Naruto, Strong Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke &amp; Uzumaki Naruto Friendship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:48:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>116,776</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26056750</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/karamidori/pseuds/karamidori</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Nagato gives Naruto his Rinnegan with Konan's help, changing the blond ninja's life. How will he take to having such a powerful dōjutsu? How will his possession of the Rinnegan affect the world? AU. Rated M for language, violence, blood, and mature themes.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Haruno Sakura/Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Konan, Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>134</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Changing Hands</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a fic that was born out of a desire for more fics about Naruto obtaining the Rinnegan. I decided to take what I felt was the most likely route. Changes should be evident, and I'll try to explain anything that's confusing in the chapter notes.</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Alrighty, here's the first chapter of a fic that I've had in the works for a bit. I will try to update this as regularly as I can, but please keep in mind I write as a hobby! That said, I will still strive to make sure this fic gets finished and isn't left abandoned. Enjoy!<br/>Oh, I also don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto watched cautiously as Nagato trembled with sweat on his brow, eyes shut tight, head bowed, and hands held in the Serpent seal. His hair had changed from a deep, dark red to white, and he looked as though he was on death’s door, more so than he was before. Naruto hadn’t seen anyone in this bad of shape since he dragged Sasuke back from The Valley of the End, and he and Sasuke had both taken a pretty thorough beating from one another. Nagato’s blue-haired companion, Konan, only looked on; an expression of worry painted on her normally stoic face. Naruto knew he had just performed a taxing jutsu, but he wasn’t sure what it did or why the woman seemed to be concerned.</p><p>“What just happened? What was that jutsu?” he asked.</p><p>The woman spoke, her voice calm despite her concerned expression, “Gedō: Rinne Tensei no Jutsu.” The blond looked at her with a confused expression.</p><p>“Nagato’s ocular power is one that can govern life and death,” she continued.</p><p>Naruto’s eyes widened as he began to understand. “You don’t mean…” he trailed off.</p><p>Konan averted her gaze to the ground. “The villagers that were killed will be revived, one after another,” she spoke placidly, though her face and eyes betrayed a sense of sorrow.</p><p>Nagato held the hand seal as he raised his head and opened his eyes slowly. Naruto watched as those purple ringed eyes focused intensely on him. Nagato spoke in a tired voice, “I’m still in time to revive those I’ve killed since arriving in Konoha. It’s the least I can do for them.” Naruto only stared at Nagato incredulously. The man who sat in a machine that let him control the six bodies he had defeated earlier, the very same man who was responsible for so much death and the destruction of his home, was now saving everyone whose lives he had cut short. Though Naruto’s blood was boiling, he felt relieved that those same people would be back. He couldn’t help but feel a small amount of gratitude, but he didn’t show it.</p><p>Nagato released the hand seal. His breathing was labored, but he somehow mustered the strength to speak. “War inflicts death, injury, and pain to both sides. The death of someone dear is hard to accept. We convince ourselves that there’s no way they could die,” he said with tired determination as he slowly lowered his arms, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth onto the machine. Konan glanced quickly at her companion before resting her gaze on the blond Konoha ninja in front of them. She remained worried, but her expression relaxed slightly as she acknowledged the truth in Nagato’s words.</p><p>“It especially can’t be helped with your generation; you don’t know war. You may try to find meaning in death, but there is only pain,” Nagato raised his eyes to look at Naruto as he continued.</p><p>“An unbearable hatred, senseless deaths, eternal hatred, and a pain that does not heal. That is what war is,” he said as Naruto watched him, listening intently, his expression unwavering.</p><p>“Naruto…this is what you will be facing in time,” the skeletal man stated. Naruto’s eyes widened.</p><p>‘<em>What does he mean by that? Does he somehow know what’s going to happen in the future? That would be hard to believe, but after everything that’s happened here today, I really wouldn’t put it past him,” </em>he mused to himself.</p><p>Nagato took a deep breath before he closed his eyes and chuckled softly, “You and that book, it feels like someone set it all up. Or, perhaps, it was the work of a real god,” Naruto only stood there, watching Nagato carefully, still not showing any emotion.</p><p>“It seems my work ends here, Naruto,” Nagato said wearily, as his eyes opened once again. “I believe you can bring true peace in my stead.” Naruto’s eyes widened as he took a small but sharp intake of breath. He noticed Nagato’s eyes change ever so slightly, softening almost imperceptibly, but the blond knew that Nagato’s last statement carried more weight than he let on.</p><p>Those were his last thoughts before he felt his eyes grow immeasurably heavy, his knees turned to jelly and gave way beneath him. The world spun as he suddenly felt himself in a state of freefall. It was slow, agonizing, he had lost control of his body. <em>“…care of…him…Konan,” </em>he thought he heard Nagato say. His vision darkened and he felt nothing as he hit the ground with a thud.</p><p>He hadn’t noticed the one-handed seal that Konan made, and he didn’t feel the wave of chakra that knocked him out cold. She walked over to the Konoha ninja, looking over her shoulder at Nagato. This time, there was apprehension in her voice.</p><p>“Are you sure about this, Nagato? Do you really trust him that much? Especially with…” she trailed off. <em>‘I truly hope this boy is who Nagato thinks he is. If he isn’t, then this will all be for naught,’ </em>she thought to herself.</p><p>Nagato gave a weak nod before speaking, “I do, Konan. He and I are not so different. He reminds me of myself, and a bit of Yahiko,” his voice trailed as he said the last part, but Konan heard him, and blinked back a few tears at the mention of their friend. He was right: he was a bit like Yahiko, determined to bring peace to this cruel shinobi world. She only nodded before kneeling and carefully laying Naruto on his back, quietly remembering Yahiko and who he was.</p><p>“Are you ready, Konan?” Nagato asked his blue-haired friend. He looked at her, remembering everything they had been through together. He remembered their time in Ame, their time with Jiraiya, their time with Yahiko. He smiled inwardly; he felt an immeasurable gratitude to his two friends. They were more like siblings to him than friends. Konan turned to him, her amber eyes soft but determined, and gave him a nod. She knew what she had to do. Nagato nodded back.</p><p>“Take my eyes. Give them to him. He’ll do what I couldn’t do. What we couldn’t do…” he trailed off, his voice held undertones of acceptance and disappointment in what the Akatsuki had become. Konan rose and started towards Nagato, and he spoke with his last breaths as she did.</p><p>“Thank you, Konan…thank you for the bread…thank you for being my family,” he said with a weak voice as his eyes shut for the last time. Konan looked upon the man she came to see as a brother, blinking back long-withheld tears.</p><p>“No, Nagato, thank you,” she shakily whispered as she took him and laid him down next to Naruto.</p><p>Konan took a deep breath to relax herself. She wasn’t a medic nin by any means, but she had knowledge of first aid and treating wounds of different sizes from her time traveling with Yahiko and Nagato. She had minimal knowledge of medical ninjutsu and only learned the basics of Mystical Palm thanks to Jiraiya telling the trio about his teammate, Tsunade. This, however, was something she had no knowledge of, outside of basic anatomy.</p><p>Her first thought was to reach for her kunai but thought better of using something so large and unwieldy for something so delicate. She then had the idea of using her paper to make a scalpel. She knew she could make her paper razor sharp, and she had much better control of her paper than she would a kunai. She breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she had surmounted that obstacle.</p><p>She knelt and gently opened Naruto’s eyelid, afraid to wake him despite knowing he would be out cold for a long while. Her hands were shaking. She tried to steady her breathing. <em>‘I can do this. I have to do this. For Nagato. For Yahiko. For the world,’ </em>she told herself. She focused as she gingerly worked her floating paper scalpel into Naruto’s first eye socket, severing its connections, and carefully removing it with her still shaky hand. She quickly moved to his other eye, repeating the procedure, her hands only slightly less shaky. Holding the eyes of this boy, seeing their bright, sapphire blue irises outside of his head, feeling their weight in her hand; it was one of the strangest things she’d ever experienced. She shook her head, pushing that thought aside, as she went to Nagato and carefully removed his eyes, making sure to keep them as intact as possible. For a moment she marveled at them. She never realized what the Rinnegan did to a person’s eyes, how it completely changed the eye from white to purple, how the concentric circles were somehow embedded into the sclera, unable to be removed. She breathed a sigh of relief, only to notice her hands were covered in blood.</p><p>She stared at her hands in utter shock, one holding Naruto’s eyes, the other holding Nagato’s.</p><p><em>‘Don’t faint don’t faint don’t faint don’t faint dammit!’ </em>she thought, as she took a deep, quivering breath to calm down. She was no stranger to violence, no stranger to blood or death, but something about this made her skin crawl. She pushed those feelings aside as she got to work, gently opening each of Naruto’s eyelids once again, carefully sliding Nagato’s purple orbs into place. She drew upon her knowledge of Mystical Palm and focused, trying to stop the bleeding as best she could and to repair the muscles and optic nerves. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she focused on pushing the healing chakra into Naruto.</p><p><em>‘I pray this holds together long enough for him to get proper treatment, otherwise this will have been for nothing,’ </em>she thought to herself. She felt the connections repair themselves to a point where they were salvageable, and she tried to stop the bleeding enough so he wouldn’t lose too much blood. Despite her efforts, he still looked like hell; blood had run out of his eye sockets and onto his temples. Konan cursed her lack of proficiency, but she knew he would be in good hands. One of his teammates was an apprentice of Tsunade, or so she heard. She set him against a tree close by before going, wincing at the fresh blood leaking from his closed eyes. It ran down his whisker-marked cheeks like tears. She looked over him one last time before going to reclaim the bodies of Nagato and Yahiko. She wrapped their bodies in her paper before she dispersed the paper tree that she and Nagato had been hiding in. She summoned her paper wings and journeyed back to Amegakure with the bodies of her friends. Only after she buried them both did she sit down and allow the dam holding her emotions back to break. She cried until she had no more tears, letting herself mourn the death of her brother. At least the rain would mask the sound of her sobs.</p>
<hr/><p>Kakashi found him against a tree. Not that it was particularly difficult, as his orange tracksuit and blond hair were like a beacon for anyone trying to find him. He breathed a sigh of relief that he had found his student, but his relief turned to shock and concern as he approached Naruto and noticed all the blood on his face.</p><p>“Naruto!” he called out to his student; no response. Kakashi cursed under his breath, expecting the worst, but was hoping it wasn’t so. He landed in front of Naruto, looking over his student with an expression of worry in his one visible eye. Naruto was motionless, and it looked as though he wasn’t breathing. Kakashi gently shook the boy by his shoulder, which caused him to grunt. Kakashi let out the breath he had been holding.</p><p><em>‘Thank goodness he’s alive,’ </em>he thought to himself, relieved beyond measure. He ventured to examine the apparent wounds to his eyes, gently opening his eyelid to inspect the damage. As soon as he saw Naruto’s eye, Kakashi gasped.</p><p>“This can’t be…” he said under his breath. He immediately lifted his headband and opened his Sharingan eye to examine what appeared to be a Rinnegan eye. He channeled chakra into it and gasped again.</p><p>“He has it…he has the eye of legend,” he said; he could hardly believe it. He opened Naruto’s other eyelid and was stunned to see that he had not one, but <em>two</em> Rinnegan. Kakashi hoisted his student onto his back, quickly setting off to head back towards Konoha, or what was left of it. He knew he had to get Naruto to Sakura and Shizune.</p><p>“Naruto, just what happened back there?” Kakashi asked, knowing he wouldn’t get a response any time soon.</p>
<hr/><p>Sakura walked through the ruins of the village, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She saw the bodies; she saw the destruction caused by that orange haired Akatsuki member. She heard the screams, the explosions, the groaning of buildings collapsing. She smelled the dust from said buildings, she smelled the smoke and ash from the fires, she smelled the blood from the dead and injured. Those sights, sounds, and smells were burned into her mind.</p><p>She remembered when Naruto finally arrived and fought Pain. She saw him stab Naruto, pinning him to the ground. She watched in horror as he threw Hinata around like a ragdoll, before he drove one of his rods through her. That was when she felt the air explode with a familiar chakra. After the explosion of chakra from the Nine Tailed Fox that nearly knocked her off her feet, the two fought furiously, and she remembered Naruto tearing after Pain into the forest. She immediately set off to look for survivors after Sasuke snapped her out of her trance.</p><p>While the village was still destroyed, the very same people she had seen perish were back, somehow just as alive as they were before the attack. She could hardly believe it. She even ran into Kakashi, who she embraced, glad to see a familiar face.</p><p>“Kakashi-sensei, where’s Naruto? I haven’t seen him since…well…since he…” she asked as her voice trailed off. Kakashi’s visible brow raised.</p><p>“Since what, Sakura?” he asked the kunoichi, with a hint of concern in his voice.</p><p>“Since…since he went berserk and released <em>that</em> chakra again,” she said, biting her lip and averting her eyes. Kakashi’s eye widened at the mention of the Nine Tails’ chakra.</p><p><em>‘The Nine Tails? That can’t have been good. I’ll need to follow up with Yamato,’ </em>he noted as he continued to listen to his student. Sakura took a breath and regained her composure. “He fought Pain in that state for a bit before they both went into the forest,” she stated, finally meeting her sensei’s inquisitive gaze. Kakashi nodded, a determined look in his eye.</p><p>“Thank you, Sakura. I’ll go look for him, since he could be hurt. It would probably be best for you to find Shizune if she’s around and tend to the wounded. I’ll come find you and Sasuke once I’ve found Naruto,” he said before sprinting off towards the forest.</p><p>Sakura sighed to herself and wrung her hands. <em>‘Naruto, please be okay…Kakashi-sensei, please find him,’ </em>she prayed. Sasuke was looking for survivors, while she was heading to the field hospital that had been set up to tend to the wounded. Sasuke had promised her he would meet her at the field hospital after he had finished his search. She walked at a steady pace; her emerald eyes never left the ground as worry gripped her heart like a vise.</p>
<hr/><p>Sasuke had been looking for survivors and pulling bodies from the rubble when it happened. He felt something strange. The next thing he knew, the same body he had just pulled from the rubble glowed green stood up on its own. Instinctively, he activated his Sharingan to see if it was a genjutsu, but much to his shock, it wasn’t. The same person who was dead not even five minutes ago was alive and walking as though nothing had happened. He blinked a few times, mouth agape, before shaking his head to snap himself out of it. Looking around, he could see more people rising where green glows appeared.</p><p><em>‘What in the world is all this? People are just coming back to life. Is this some sort of jutsu?’ </em>Sasuke asked himself, trying to reason his way through the events unfolding before him. His mind immediately went to his teammate and best friend.</p><p>“Naruto, what happened? What did you do?” he asked aloud, watching people once deceased walking once more, his expression stoic despite his surprise and disbelief at the situation.</p><p><em>‘You’d better come back safe, you idiot,’ </em>he thought to himself. He was worried about the blond fool, but he would never admit it to anyone, not even himself. He made his way to the field hospital to find Sakura.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks a bundle for reading!</p><p>Quick thing, I have a <a href="https://discord.gg/APBnCWEZU3">Discord server!</a> Feel free to join, chat, and hang out! I'll be posting updates there as they come!</p><p>Now that that's out of the way, a couple things to clear up: Sasuke never left the village, as you can tell, he stayed thanks to his friendship with Naruto. Yes, I gave Konan the ability to use Mystical Palm. I know it's not canon, but I feel like she would have good control of her chakra. Plus, the wiki says she has Yang Release as one of her nature types, which is likely one of if not the type of nature release related to Mystical Palm. Also, this is fanfiction, so there. Leave kudos if you enjoyed, and comment if you feel like it. Chapter 2 coming soon! Thanks again!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Hero's Return</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto returns and Team 7 is reunited, but not in the way they expected.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I present to you, Chapter 2! Hey, that rhymes.<br/>I still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The field hospital was organized chaos. Medics scurried about, tending to the wounded while shinobi and civilians alike were bringing in survivors, some of whom were worse for wear than others. Sasuke arrived in the wake of the mass resurrection; which, if anything, threw the field hospital into more chaos. Patients pronounced dead were now suddenly up and walking, as though they had only woken from a nap. The incredulity and shock had given way to relief and cautious joy.</p>
<p>Sasuke took in the sights and sounds as he walked along a gravel path separating two rows of tents. The air was heavy with the smell of antiseptic, canvas, and iron. His eyes wandered, stealing glances into open tents, hoping to find his pink-haired teammate. Though he wasn’t thinking it, he was hoping to find Naruto with Sakura. The blond would no doubt be getting an earful from his pink-haired friend, as well as a good smack upside the head for worrying his team, especially her.</p>
<p>Sasuke had found Sakura’s temper annoying at first, especially when he was put on a team with her and Naruto. As time passed, however, he found her peculiar way of showing affection a bit endearing. Thankfully, she had reeled her temper in a bit, especially after the Chūnin Exams.</p>
<p>His reminiscing was cut short when he spotted pink locks a short distance away. He quickened his pace, gravel crunching beneath his sandals.</p>
<p>“Sakura! Over here!” he called to his teammate. Her head snapped up from what she was doing, her emerald eyes searching for her teammate. She spotted his spiky black hair and breathed a sigh of relief as she caught him in a crushing embrace, which Sasuke returned.</p>
<p>“You made it back,” she sighed, burying her face in his shoulder. The two held each other for a second, taking in each other’s presence and the fact that they were both okay before Sakura released Sasuke and took a step back. “Have you seen what happened? People who were dead are somehow alive again, as if nothing happened,” she asked, with a puzzled look.</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded, a similar look disfiguring his normally stoic face. “Yeah, I have. Matter of fact, I saw someone I pulled from the rubble glow green and get right back up. I thought it was a genjutsu at first, but this is all actually happening. Could this have something to do with what happened with--,” he started, before Sakura finished his question for him.</p>
<p>“Naruto? I don’t know,” she said, brows furrowed, eyes focused on the ground as she once again went over what had happened, trying to make a connection between that and the resurrections. “I mean, you saw what happened. He did release <em>that</em> chakra again. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with this, but then again…” she trailed off. <em>‘With how little we know of that chakra and what it’s really capable of, it’s hard to say for sure,’ </em>she thought.</p>
<p>Sasuke sighed, knowing what the girl was thinking. Since neither of them had seen anything aside from glowing bodies standing up again, it was hard to say for certain whether or not Naruto was the reason those people were alive again. <em>‘Knowing him, he probably did have something to do with this. He’s always had a knack for pulling things off at the last second, and unexpectedly so,’ </em>the Uchiha mused. “I suppose the only one who can say for sure is Naruto. Speaking of which, have you seen him since the battle? Do you know if he found his way back yet?” he asked his teammate.</p>
<p>Sakura shook her head. “No and no,” she stated, her voice thick with disappointment. “I ran into Kakashi-sensei on the way here. He said he was going to look for Naruto after I told him which direction he and Pain headed off in. After that, I ran into you, and now here we are.” She took a moment to look over Sasuke. “You look exhausted, Sasuke. You should go rest,” she said with a small smile.</p>
<p>“Hn.” Sasuke gave his teammate a knowing look. “You know I won’t sit down until that idiot shows up with Kakashi,” he said nonchalantly. “Besides, I need to give him a piece of my mind for keeping all the fun to himself.” Sakura rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but giggle.</p>
<p>The rivalry between those two never ceased to amaze and amuse her in equal parts. It had brought them closer since they were in the academy. She knew Sasuke and Naruto had been friends even before she met them in the academy, but seeing their friendship firsthand and how the two respected each other warmed her heart. The two were like brothers to each other. That fact was especially evident after Naruto had beaten some sense into Sasuke when he became consumed with his thirst for revenge against his brother, Itachi. He had wanted to leave everything behind for the sake of getting stronger, but Naruto had reminded him of the strength they shared whenever they fought together as a team, and had opened Sasuke’s eyes to the path he was dangerously close to following.</p>
<p>Her own reminiscing was cut short when she noticed Sasuke’s eyes widen like dinner plates.</p>
<p>“Sakura…! Look!” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Her head snapped around and she saw the familiar silver spikes of her sensei’s hair. She breathed a sigh of relief before she gasped, her own eyes widening at the sight of her orange-clad teammate on Kakashi’s back. Tears stung her eyes as she noticed there was blood on his face.</p>
<p>Her heart shot into her throat, her trembling hands moved up to her face. “Oh no…” she shakily said, her voice barely above a whisper. <em>‘No way, there’s no way he’s this badly hurt. This can’t be happening!’ </em>She momentarily argued with herself about what she was seeing, but she snapped herself out of it after seeing Sasuke jog towards Kakashi. She immediately flipped her medic switch and ran towards her team.</p>
<p>“How bad is it? Has the bleeding stopped?” she asked Kakashi, her voice calm but with an edge of determination. She immediately started leading him to find an open tent.</p>
<p>“I’m not sure just how bad, but the bleeding has slowed. He’s unconscious, but he seems stable for now,” he replied urgently. Sakura nodded and breathed a small sigh of relief, mentally noting how the blood had fallen on his cheeks and his temples. <em>‘Someone did this to him while lying down. Did Pain do this? Why go for his eyes specifically?’ </em>she wondered. She turned to Sasuke, whose face was stoic, but his eyes showed genuine concern for his friend.</p>
<p>“Sasuke, go find Shizune and bring her here. Tell her it’s an emergency with Naruto. Sensei, let’s get him inside,” she calmly ordered. Both gave a curt nod and Sasuke set off to find Tsunade’s assistant while Kakashi followed Sakura.</p>
<p>Sakura ushered Kakashi into the tent, following after him and immediately going into medic mode. Kakashi laid Naruto down on the futon on the ground before Sakura came and held her teammate’s wrist, checking his pulse.<em> ‘It’s a little slow but it’s stable,’ </em>she noted, before unzipping his jacket and placing a hand on his mesh-clad chest, channeling a small amount of chakra into her hand and feeling for his breathing. <em>‘Labored. Whatever happened after the fight must’ve taken a lot out of him.’</em> She prepared an IV drip and inserted the needle into his arm, adjusting his head with a small pillow to keep him comfortable.</p>
<p>She turned her focus to his eyes. The bleeding had slowed down considerably, going from a steady drip to a small leak down his temples. She channeled healing chakra to her hands and gently placed her palms over Naruto’s eyes, simultaneously healing and sensing for the damage done to his eyes. <em>‘This is strange, there’s damage to the optic nerve and the muscles around the eye, but it’s been…repaired slightly? It’s almost like someone performed a field surgery, then partially healed him with medical ninjutsu. It’s not on the same level as a medic, but whoever healed him seems to have done enough to save his optic nerves and his muscles,’ </em>she noted. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing her friend would be able to see after being looked at by herself and Shizune.</p>
<p>She turned to Kakashi’s waiting gaze after finishing her examination. “How is he? Is it as bad as it looks?” the masked jōnin asked. Sakura shook her head. “He’ll be alright. He should have no problems seeing and looking around after Shizune and I take a closer look and heal him further. There’s just one thing that’s…strange about what I found.” Kakashi raised his brow.</p>
<p>Sakura turned to look at her unconscious teammate before continuing. “The damage that was done seems to have been healed before you brought him here. Not only that, but it seems like the damage done to his optic nerves and muscles was the result of a field surgery of some kind.”</p>
<p>Kakashi’s eye widened at that. “You mean this was intentional?” he asked his pink haired student. She gave him a small nod. Kakashi looked at his blond student, wondering just what had transpired since Naruto’s fight.</p>
<p>Sakura ventured to carefully peel one of his eyelids open with a trembling hand. Just as her fingers touched his skin, Kakashi’s hand gently grabbed her wrist, causing her to freeze and snap her head to her sensei. Her emerald eyes held confusion and concern. “Sensei? What is it?” She noticed he had a far-off look in his visible eye, which worried her even more.</p>
<p>He spoke quietly and evenly, warning her, “Sakura…before you open his eyes to look at them, you need to know something important.” Her eyes widened and she gave a small nod before he continued, his voice even lower than before. “His eyes are not…<em>normal</em>,” he stated, the last word wrought with tension from the implications. Sakura blinked at him before she gulped and gave a small nod, prompting him to release her hand.</p>
<p>She took a quivering breath to calm down before she gingerly peeled Naruto’s eye open. She gasped. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. In place of the familiar sapphire blue, there was purple, in fact, his entire eye was a light purple, with thin, black concentric circles emanating from a small, narrow pupil. His irises were only a slightly darker shade than the rest of his eye. She quickly but carefully opened his other eye; an equally astonished gasp escaped her lips as she saw the same ringed purple orb offering its empty gaze.</p>
<p>Sakura looked to her sensei, trying to understand what Naruto’s eyes were and what they meant. “Kakashi-sensei, what…what happened to his eyes?” she asked, her voice thick with concern.</p>
<p>He only shook his head and sighed. “I’m not sure, if I’m being honest,” he said dejectedly. He looked at the concerned girl with a soft eye. “I know those eyes. I’ve heard of them and even seen them before. I checked them with my Sharingan to make sure someone hadn’t put a genjutsu or transformation on him, but those eyes are as real as you and me.”</p>
<p>Sakura wrung her hands, her gaze not leaving the silver-haired jōnin. “What are they? I’ve never seen eyes like that before. They don’t look like Sasuke’s eyes or any of the Hyuuga’s eyes, so it can’t be Sharingan or Byakugan…” she trailed off, trying to reason her way through what Naruto’s eyes could be.</p>
<p>Kakashi knelt in front of her, meeting her gaze. “You’re right, they’re not Sharingan or Byakugan. In fact, those eyes that Naruto’s got,” he pointed his thumb at the blond. “Are said to be more powerful than both the Sharingan <em>and </em>the Byakugan. They’re called the Rinnegan. The only other person who was said to possess them was called the Sage of Six Paths.”</p>
<p>Sakura gasped again; her eyes were the size of dinner plates by this point. Her voice was low but was dripping with shock and disbelief. “The Sage of Six Paths? But he’s just a myth! There’s no way he could have the same eyes as, well, a minor god!” She glanced at her unconscious teammate, trying and failing to understand how this could be possible.</p>
<p>Her train of thought was interrupted by her sensei. “That’s what I thought, too. However, that dōjutsu is unmistakable,” he stated with a sense of finality. Sakura once again looked at the unconscious Naruto.</p>
<p>“This just sounds so unbelievable,” she thought aloud. “But I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. You’ve always been full of surprises,” she said to her unconscious teammate. A small smile tugged at her and Kakashi’s mouths. They sat in silence for a moment.</p>
<p>Sasuke entered the tent and snapped them back to the matter at hand. “I found Shizune,” he announced as he ushered Tsunade’s dark-haired assistant in. Sakura quickly got up and thanked Sasuke before filling Shizune in on the situation and Naruto’s current condition. “I checked his vitals, he’s stable for now. Breathing is a bit labored, likely from fatigue and the force of whatever knocked him unconscious. The bleeding has slowed considerably.”</p>
<p>She paused before looking at Shizune with a pleading gaze. “Shizune, I need you to promise me something.” She turned to Sasuke. “You, too, Sasuke.” They both gave Sakura puzzled looks before nodding. Sakura gestured to both of them as the trio knelt down next to Naruto. Sakura looked at both of her raven-haired companions before speaking in a quiet but serious voice. “What you’re about to see stays between us and Lady Tsunade. Nobody else is to know about this, clear?” Sasuke’s face hardened as he grasped the severity of what she was about to show them, while Shizune still wore a confused expression. After looking into Sakura’s pleading gaze, she nodded.</p>
<p>Sakura took a deep breath before she gently opened one of Naruto’s eyelids, revealing one of his Rinnegan. Shizune gasped and brought her hands to her mouth, lost for words. Sasuke’s eyes widened as he instinctively activated his Sharingan, which Kakashi took notice of.</p>
<p>“It’s not a transformation or a genjutsu. I checked when I found him. Those eyes are real,” he explained to the Uchiha. Sasuke stared at the purple orb before his eyes changed back to their normal onyx color.</p>
<p>Sakura’s emerald eyes jumped between Shizune and her raven-haired teammate. “Both of his eyes are like this,” she stated as she gently peeled open his other eye, revealing the same purple orb with concentric circles. She let his eye close. Shizune’s eyes were impossibly wide and unblinking, her gaze fixated on Naruto’s face. Sasuke was stiff as a board; his eyes no less unblinking, also staring at his teammate. They all sat in silence, the air thick with uncertainty and shock.</p>
<p>Sasuke was the first to break the silence. “Kakashi-sensei, those eyes, are they a dōjutsu? They sure as hell aren’t Sharingan or Byakugan,” he asked, not looking away from Naruto.</p>
<p>Kakashi nodded. “They are. Naruto seems to have acquired the Rinnegan,” he said plainly. Both Sasuke’s and Shizune’s heads snapped to look at the silver-haired man. They were met with his usual half-lidded, indifferent gaze.</p>
<p>This time Shizune spoke, her voice trembling slightly. “The same eyes as the Sage of Six Paths…but how?” She thought aloud.</p>
<p>“There’s something else that I should mention,” Sakura began as Sasuke and Shizune turned to face her. “When I was examining him, I found that the damage done to his optic nerves and the muscles in his eye sockets was repaired before he got here. Not only that, but the damage that was still present was too precise to be anything inflicted by something like a kunai or, heaven forbid, someone ripping his eyes out with their bare hands. It was like someone surgically removed his original eyes and replaced them with the Rinnegan,” she explained.</p>
<p>Shizune gasped again. Sasuke’s jaw dropped. Shizune reached for Naruto’s face, channeling chakra into her hands and gently placing her palms over his closed eyes, looking for the signs Sakura had described. After a few moments, she sighed. “Sakura is right, the optic nerves and surrounding ocular muscles seem to have been deliberately cut and repaired, albeit by someone who isn’t a medic, judging by the extent of the repairs.” She explained, before turning to Sakura. “You know his blood type?”</p>
<p>The younger medic gave a curt nod and stood up, already knowing what her colleague was going to ask. “I’ll go try to find a transfusion kit just in case,” she said, exiting the tent. The crunch of gravel beneath her sandals quieted as she walked away. Shizune turned back to the blond and molded her chakra to start healing his eyes and their connections. Despite the non-professional healing that was done, she was glad that someone at least had the sense to do so, since this made her job that much easier, and likely saved Naruto’s sense of sight.</p>
<p>Kakashi turned to Sasuke, who hadn’t moved much since the two medics had gotten to work, seemingly in a trance. The jōnin rose, and placed a hand on his student’s shoulder, causing him to flinch at the unexpected contact. Sasuke turned to look up at Kakashi’s half-lidded eye.</p>
<p>“Come on, let’s give Shizune some space while she fixes up Naruto,” Kakashi said calmly, trying to relax the Uchiha. “Tell Sakura we’ll be outside resting, we won’t be far away,” he said to Shizune. She nodded over her shoulder with a small smile aimed at Sasuke as she continued to work on Naruto. Sasuke sighed. He didn’t want to leave his teammate and friend alone, but he knew that he would want him to be rested as well.</p>
<p>Sasuke turned once more to his unconscious friend. “You better wake up soon, dummy. I need to test that dōjutsu of yours,” he muttered. <em>‘I’ll help you when you wake up. You’re my brother. It’s the least I can do for you after what you’ve done for me,’ </em>he thought to himself. Kakashi gave one of his signature smiles as he ushered himself and Sasuke out of the tent.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was late afternoon, and the sun had crept further into the west; ghosts of orange and pink peeked out from the horizon, signaling the impending sunset. Thin wisps of clouds adorned the sky like brushstrokes of white on a light blue canvas. The beauty and serenity of the heavens stood in stark contrast to the tragedy that occurred below.</p>
<p>Sasuke and Kakashi walked in silence for a bit, looking for somewhere to sit and rest. They happened upon a few logs arranged in a circle, likely used by other weary survivors to rest. The duo sat across from each other, each letting out an exhausted sigh. Kakashi’s visible eye closed as he gathered his thoughts and meditated, while Sasuke studied the gravel and dirt beneath his feet.</p>
<p>Sasuke broke the silence, retrieving his canteen. “So, Kakashi-sensei,” he started. The masked jōnin let out a hum and slowly opened his eye to meet his student’s onyx gaze. “What happened with you before you found Naruto? Neither me nor Sakura saw you when he was fighting Pain,” he continued, opening his canteen to take a drink.</p>
<p>Kakashi tilted his head slightly at his student before he gave another of his distinctive smiles. “Ah, well. You see, I was incapacitated after fighting a couple of Pain’s bodies,” he said nonchalantly. Sasuke immediately choked on his water, spitting out the sip he had taken and coughing violently. Kakashi maintained his jovial expression.</p>
<p>Sasuke turned to his sensei with a furrowed brow after he cleared his throat. “What do you mean ‘incapacitated’?” he probed, knowing there was more behind that word than simply being unconscious, given Kakashi’s way of understating even serious matters. The silver-haired scarecrow merely rubbed the back of his head, his expression shifting slightly to reflect his sheepishness.</p>
<p>“Well, I was stuck in a pile of rubble for a while. Thankfully Chōji and Chōza were there to help me, but Pain did quite a number on us. Even Choza was down,” he explained. Sasuke’s brow returned to normal as he gave a small nod. “I was the one who sent Choji to warn Lady Tsunade about Pain’s abilities, actually,” Kakashi continued, his eye going back to its familiar half-lidded state.</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded once more as Kakashi told more of his side of things. “After that, I have no real recollection of anything. The only thing I remember after sending Chōji was waking up feeling better, and seeing green glows all around me, Chōza being one of them. I ran into Sakura after that, who told me about Naruto’s fight. I found him in the forest, and the rest you already know since you were there,” he finished with a smile beneath his mask.</p>
<p>Sasuke was able to take a drink from his canteen, at last. He sat in silence for a moment, taking in everything his sensei had just told him. He remembered walking with Sakura before the first attack started, helping the civilians to safety, fighting off strange summons, helping ANBU. It was chaos like he had never seen before. Just as he had found Sakura again, he saw the bright flash just before the village was reduced to rubble and a crater. He let out a sigh, trying not to let his mind linger too long on the memories of his home being attacked.</p>
<p>Sasuke turned to the jōnin. “You know, sensei. I don’t think I ever thanked you,” he stated.</p>
<p>Kakashi raised his eyebrow at this. “Thanked me? For what, Sasuke?” he asked, puzzled.</p>
<p>Sasuke gave a small smile. “For everything, really,” he said nonchalantly. Kakashi’s eyebrow was fixed in its raised position.</p>
<p>Sasuke gave a small chuckle. “I guess I should explain, huh? What I mean is for everything you’ve done as our sensei. For pushing us, teaching us the value of teamwork, not giving up on us, encouraging us. If it weren’t for you, Naruto, and Sakura, I don’t know if I would be where I am now. I very well could have followed a similar or worse path than Itachi,” he continued, a far-off look creeping its way into his eyes as he mentioned his brother and the path he nearly set off on. “After our mission to Wave, I really felt lost. I was frustrated and angry. I had convinced myself that I was angry at my brother, but I was frustrated with myself because I blamed myself for what happened that night to my clan. Even though it took Naruto beating the shit out of me in the Valley of the End for me to come to my senses, I’m grateful to him for it. I never would have remembered that he was one of my first friends,” he continued, a smile tugging at his lips as he talked about his teammate who was like a brother to him.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave his own smile under his mask. “I was worried about you after that mission, you know,” he started. “You were even moodier than usual and were constantly brooding. You were even bickering with Naruto less. That’s what really tipped me off. Even Naruto and Sakura had sought me out at one point to express their concern to me about how you were acting. Especially after the Chūnin Exams. I had told Naruto the same thing I told you all after the bell test,” he recounted.</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded, remembering that day. “’Those that break the rules are scum, but those that abandon their comrades are worse than scum,’” he said, finishing Kakashi’s sentence.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave another smile. “That’s right. It looks like Naruto really took that to heart, didn’t he?” he asked rhetorically, trying to lighten the mood slightly. Sasuke gave his sensei another smile and a small nod.</p>
<p>Just as the two were finishing their reminiscing, they heard a feminine voice from a distance. “There you two are! Shizune said you weren’t far off but I didn’t think you’d be over here,” the familiar voice called.</p>
<p>Sasuke and Kakashi turned to see their pink-haired teammate making her way towards them, waving. Kakashi waved back as Sasuke stood. “How is he?” He asked urgently.</p>
<p>Sakura put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “He’s fine. We hooked him up to a blood transfusion and Shizune is working on repairing his eyes as we speak. After that he’ll just need some rest,” she explained. The two men let out sighs of relief.</p>
<p>Sakura sat on the log and gave Sasuke an expectant look before he planted himself next to her. She let out her own sigh, turning her attention to Kakashi.</p>
<p>“So, sensei, what happened with you? I meant to ask you but then all that stuff happened,” she asked. Kakashi gave another distinct smile as he told her about his situation with Chōji, Chōza, and his fight with Pain. Sakura’s eyes were glued to the silver-haired man, nodding now and again to convey that she was listening.</p>
<p>At the conclusion of his account, she let out another sigh and looked between the two men. “I’m just glad you two are okay, and I’m especially glad you found Naruto, sensei,” she said as she gave her sensei a small smile. Sasuke hummed and Kakashi returned her smile with a quick nod and his own grin.</p>
<p>The trio sat in silence once again. It’s easy to mistake this silence as awkwardness or a lack of camaraderie. However, it was more of a testament to their deep understanding of each other and their experiences as a team; experiences which forged solid and nigh unshakable bonds. Entire conversations could be held amongst themselves without so much as a sound.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! Leave kudos if you enjoyed, and leave a comment if you so desire. Chapter 3 coming soon! Thanks again!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Tempered in Fire</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The chronicles of Team 7.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Woo! Third chapter! This is a long one, so buckle up and enjoy!<br/>Hmm...nope. Still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The events which forged the bonds of Team 7 were complicated. They were often full of shared sacrifice and pain; but each sacrifice, each wound, each jarring experience was a strike of the hammer upon steel, folding and reinforcing their ties to one another. Their mission to Wave Country was where they first discovered just how naïve they all were when it came to their expectations of the ninja lifestyle. They had witnessed death firsthand; they had seen their normally stoic sensei beat the Demon Brothers of Kiri and skewer the missing nin Zabuza Momochi on his forearm with his Chidori. They had seen Haku effortlessly drop the crime lord known as Gatō with a single senbon to the throat after Naruto spared his life and stopped him from putting himself between Zabuza and Kakashi.</p><p>Sakura had received a harsh reality check, having the rose-colored glasses ripped off after seeing Sasuke nearly die and Naruto go into a fit of rage after the fact. She was forced to reevaluate how she felt about her team, Naruto especially. Sakura had never realized that he was capable of unleashing that much raw power, and it both frightened and amazed her. During his near-death experience, Sasuke had realized that not only was he not as strong as he had thought himself to be, but that he had protected Naruto on sheer instinct. He didn’t have to think about protecting his brother, he just did it. Their loudmouthed teammate matured as well, coming to the same realization as Sasuke; and in typical Naruto fashion, he vowed to everyone in earshot that he would train his hardest to get stronger to protect those that he held dear.</p><p>Naruto had ended up befriending the androgynous boy, Haku, and offered to take him back to Konoha with his team. It had taken quite a bit of convincing from Naruto and Haku to get Kakashi and the other two genin to agree, but Team Kakashi had returned to Konoha with their plus one, who the team had admittedly warmed up to along the way. He was immediately put through the course of interrogation, examination, and probation before being allowed the possibility of becoming a Konoha Shinobi. Haku was just grateful to have been taken in.</p><p>Their training leading up to the Chūnin Exams had been rigorous, to say the least. After getting an earful from Hiruzen, Kakashi had doubled down on his efforts to mold his ‘cute little genin’ into respectable shinobi. He had started with their chakra affinities. Sasuke shared lightning with Kakashi, who was disappointed that he didn’t possess the fire affinity that his clan was so well-known for but was grateful that he at least had a teacher who shared his affinity; one who also possessed a Sharingan, no less. Sakura’s affinity test had surprised everyone. The chakra paper that she was given had split in half, dampened, and then frozen in her hand. Even the unshakable Sasuke was agape at Sakura’s newly discovered Kekkei Genkai, the likes of which they had only ever seen once. Naruto possessed a wind affinity, which was a bit of a rarity among the shinobi of Konoha. Kakashi took it upon himself to get in touch with Asuma for supplemental affinity training, which both he and Naruto agreed to. He saw to Sasuke’s affinity training personally, and taught him his jutsu, Chidori. Naruto had the idea to refer Sakura to Haku for help with honing her skills with her bloodline, since he was the only one they knew to possess the Hyōton Kekkei Genkai. Thankfully, both Hiruzen and a very surprised Haku agreed.</p><p>Outside of their training under Kakashi and their secondary teachers, Team 7 had slowly started growing closer. They spent more time together after training talking and winding down before parting ways. These conversations eventually would be held over meals, and even afternoon tea when they were given a day off. They had even taken to gathering at any one of the member’s homes every now and again.</p><p>Sakura had seen sides of Sasuke and Naruto she had never known of during her days in the academy: despite their rivalry, the two were best friends. As it turned out, Sasuke and Naruto knew each other even before they started at the academy and were already friends by the time they both started, on account of Sasuke’s late mother knowing Naruto. After the Uchiha Massacre, Naruto had sought out Sasuke, going so far as to let him stay at his apartment after being released from the hospital until he recovered as best he could. Sasuke had said that the time after his family was killed was when he came to see Naruto as a brother.</p><p>She had never seen Sasuke smile as much as he did when he was talking to Naruto. She had even heard Sasuke laugh for the first time. Sasuke laughed! The same cool and stoic boy that had his own fan club had enjoyed laughing and smiling just as much as anyone else. Sakura couldn’t help but feel as though her world was turned upside down; though she didn’t resent it. She knew Naruto always smiled no matter what, but his smiles and laughs were so genuine around Sasuke.</p><p>Her preconceived notions of Naruto being the annoying class clown were washed away by what she had seen between him and Sasuke. What had surprised her even more was their willingness to talk to her and welcome her into their circle. She was deeply moved by Naruto’s compassion especially. He had always gone on about wanting to be strong and she remembered his vow after their mission to Wave Country, but hearing him tell her that she was one of the people he wanted to protect had struck a chord in the kunoichi. She felt welcomed and wanted, and she genuinely enjoyed their company. Kakashi had originally planned to continue with team-building exercises, but he saw how much closer they had grown, and was more than happy to toss those exercises aside in favor of honing their skills for the upcoming exams.</p><p>The Chūnin Exams was the greatest challenge that Team 7 had faced together since their mission to Wave Country. Things were going well at first, until they had a less than pleasant run-in with Orochimaru, who attacked them and branded Sasuke with his Cursed Seal of Heaven and crippled Naruto with the Five-Pronged Seal and separated him from his team. Sakura had carried Sasuke’s unconscious form, hoping to find Naruto when she fought a team from Otogakure, where Sasuke lost control of himself after one of them had hurt Sakura. In retaliation, he broke the arms of one of the Oto genin.</p><p>Once the team reunited and reached the tower, they quickly brought him to Kakashi, who sealed it to the best of his ability, but the jōnin knew that Sasuke would need a stronger seal to keep Orochimaru’s influence at bay. By a stroke of luck, Jiraiya, who was a seal expert, had arrived in Konoha and had taken over Naruto’s individual training (albeit after Naruto essentially abandoned his original instructor, Ebisu). The blond genin had mentioned what happened to Sasuke, and Jiraiya took it upon himself to examine the Curse Mark with Hiruzen and Kakashi’s permission. Everyone, Sasuke especially, breathed a sigh of relief when Jiraiya was able to seal off the influence of Orochimaru’s Curse Mark, which had returned Sasuke back to normal. He was shaken, and Orochimaru had planted seeds of ideas in his subconscious, but he wouldn’t lose control like he did in the Forest of Death.</p><p>The invasion of Konoha by Suna and Oto, led by none other than Orochimaru himself, was another stone on the shared path that Team 7 walked. Orochimaru had killed Hiruzen, but not before Hiruzen could use the Shiki Fūjin and cripple Orochimaru’s ability to use any jutsu. The village had suffered a good amount of damage at the hands of the combined force. Unbeknownst to Konoha and Team 7, one of the exam participants, Gaara, had turned out to be the container for the One-Tailed Demon Tanuki. Naruto had been the one to ultimately subdue the tailed beast and its jailor, but not without the help of his teammates and friends. He not only subdued Gaara, but managed to change him for the better, curbing his bloodlust and redefining what it meant to exist in the redhead’s mind. He talked with him as they both laid beaten and exhausted about their shared burden of being containers for Tailed Beasts and growing up alone. He had even mentioned Sasuke and how their shared experiences and differences brought them together rather than drove them apart.</p><p>After the invasion of Konoha, something in Sasuke had snapped. He became obsessed with getting stronger and began isolating himself. He always said that he had to be alone so he could get stronger. He became more closed-off towards his teammates and his sensei, he was moody, brooding, and more irritable than ever. Everything came to a head when Naruto caught wind of Sasuke wanting to leave the village for the sake of trying to get even stronger. He and Sasuke fought bitterly at the Valley of the End: where Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had fought many years ago after Madara betrayed the village and Hashirama. The fight had provoked Naruto to the point of releasing some of the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra, while Sasuke had released some of the power of the Curse Mark.</p><p>Naruto had screamed at Sasuke how much he, Sakura, and Kakashi cared about him and how strong they all were as a team. Each statement was punctuated by Naruto’s fists connecting with the raven-haired boy. It wasn’t until Naruto held down Sasuke by his shoulders and wept over him that Sasuke snapped out of his lust for power. He wept for his friend; he wept for his brother. All at once, the memories of how close he had grown to his team and how close he and Naruto were from the time they were children flooded back to him. From that day on, he vowed never to abandon his friends for the pursuit of power, Itachi be damned.</p><p>Jiraiya had caught wind of the trio’s accomplishments and decided to take them along to search for Tsunade to serve as Hiruzen’s successor as the Fifth Hokage. Naturally, he left that not so small detail out when he had asked them to come along, and instead told them they were being sent to retrieve a famous kunoichi medic named Tsunade. Sasuke and Sakura had heard Naruto refer to the Toad Sage as “Pervy Sage” on account of witnessing him peeping on the women’s hot springs for so-called “research.” They had gently rebuked him for referring to one of the Legendary Sannin as such, claiming that someone of his stature couldn’t possibly do that. Naruto had vehemently protested their refutations, staking his own claim of Jiraiya being more of a womanizing peeping tom than they thought, much to the chagrin of the Sage.</p><p>They were proven wrong, however, when they consistently found him in bars with women on each arm, a perverted grin plastered on his face, and giggling like a schoolboy. Naruto scoffed mirthfully at their ignorance while Sasuke and Sakura gaped. Sasuke could hardly believe that this was the same man that had sealed his Curse Mark, while Sakura could hardly believe that he had the nerve to be so sleazy. The handful of times that they had caught the Toad Sage peeping on women’s hot springs further proved that the title of Pervy Sage wasn’t unjustified. Said instances threw Sakura into fits of blinding rage. Her fury was enough that Sasuke and Naruto had to hold her back from beating the white-haired codger to a pulp. From that point on, even they referred to him as Pervy Sage behind his back; Naruto was the only one audacious enough to call him that to his face.</p><p>After searching several small towns, sleazy bars, and shady casinos, they had found Tsunade in a pub surrounded by empty sake bottles, accompanied by her assistant, Shizune, and her pig, Tonton. Tsunade was aghast that Jiraiya was able to find her after all those years, while Team 7 could hardly believe that the woman before them was the world-famous kunoichi medic Tsunade. Jiraiya revealed the reasons that he and Team 7 were looking for her. She refused the offer to be the next Hokage, stating that it was a position that only fools would take. An enraged Naruto had challenged her to a match, on the condition that if he beat her, she would come back with them and be Hokage. She accepted, and after revealing herself to be one of the Legendary Sannin, beat him with one finger. Naruto had begrudgingly admitted defeat, but Jiraiya had decided to keep trying his luck, so the group trailed Tsunade for a few days after that night.</p><p>One reason that Tsunade had for not returning with them was that she had been approached by Orochimaru, who had tempted her with a promise to revive her dead lover, Dan, and her younger brother, Nawaki, with the kinjutsu, Edo Tensei, in exchange for healing his arms, which were crippled by Hiruzen using the Shiki Fūjin on him. The grief-stricken woman had agreed, only to be betrayed by the snake Sannin and his underling, Kabuto. Luckily for her and Shizune, Jiraiya and Team 7 stepped in to help.</p><p>Orochimaru had fled, leaving the fighting to Kabuto. After incapacitating Shizune and forcing Jiraiya to tend to her, he had made short work of knocking Team 7 out of the way. Unfortunately for him, the trio would not be so easily defeated. After mercilessly laying into Tsunade with repeated kicks and punches, the three genin rose. Fueled by their combined anger at the traitor and their desire to fulfill their duty, they relentlessly defended Tsunade. The woman sat there in awe of what she was seeing. Not only did she see the Will of Fire that her grandfather and great uncle had spoken of so fondly, but she saw in Naruto the same passion she had seen in her little brother, as well as the same desire to protect that she had seen in Dan.</p><p>After Naruto had beaten Kabuto with his newly learned technique, the Rasengan, Tsunade couldn’t help but stare at him and his teammates. These three genin were stronger than she had originally thought. She rebuked herself for underestimating them. After patching up Shizune and tending to the wounds sustained by Team 7, Tsunade had agreed to return to Konoha with them and accept the position of Fifth Hokage.</p><p>After some much needed rest, the genin of Team 7 reunited with Kakashi, who decided that it was time to step their training up in terms of intensity. Since Jiraiya was in the village, Naruto had begun more intensive training with him and less with Asuma. Sakura and Haku had resumed refining her Hyōton, and Sasuke had once again started training more with Kakashi. They picked up missions here and there, and still had found time to hang out and keep their friendship going.</p><p>Not long after their training had resumed, Jiraiya had offered Naruto a chance to take a trip with him outside the village both to train and to see more of the world they lived in. Of course, he didn’t mention that it was also partially due to increasing reports of the Akatsuki being on the move. He had hesitated when Jiraiya had said the trip would be for almost three years, but Naruto agreed after speaking to his teammates and his sensei, who were incredibly supportive of the idea. Hearing of Jiraiya’s training trip had given Kakashi the idea to take Sasuke with him on a trip of their own.</p><p>Haku and Sakura talked at length about their options and opted to approach Tsunade about the possibility of being taken on as apprentices, given that both had excellent chakra control and had considered becoming medic nin. Sakura had mentioned the idea to Ino, who was glad to join them. Tsunade had groaned at the prospect of having three new apprentices besides Shizune but saw it as the opportunity she was looking for in terms of starting up a dedicated medical program for Konoha, and accepted the three under her tutelage.</p><p>As fate would have it, Naruto and Sasuke had run into each other on their return journey after two-and-a-half years. The two had talked and caught up with each other right up to the moment they reached the gate, talking mostly about the rigors of their respective training trips. Naruto told Sasuke about how he had improved and nearly perfected the Rasengan with Jiraiya, along with working on his wind chakra manipulation. Sasuke had mastered Kakashi’s original move, Chidori, along with his clan’s signature Fireball Jutsu. He’d also learned quite a bit of kenjutsu, and now wielded a ninjato that was about the same length as a katana. It was a bit odd as far as swords went, even ninjato; it was solid black, save for a small Uchiha crest on the handle, which was flush with the scabbard. He had named it Kusanagi, as a parody of the real Kusanagi that Orochimaru wielded. Sasuke was smiling ear to ear about how he had awakened his third Tomoe in his Sharingan, thus fully evolving it. Naruto couldn’t help but beam with pride at his best friend.</p><p>After reaching the village and reuniting with Sakura, Haku, and Tsunade at the Hokage tower, they decided to celebrate with lunch at Ichiraku. Along the way, Naruto and Sasuke had run into their old classmates, and took time to catch up with them on the way. After their meal, Naruto gifted Kakashi a new, unreleased volume from the Icha Icha series called Icha Icha Tactics, which Kakashi accepted while giggling like a schoolboy. Everyone could only awkwardly marvel at how much their sensei loved such a…steamy novel.</p><p>With Team 7 reunited, they were permitted to go on missions once again. Of course, they would continue training with their respective teachers. When Sasuke learned that Naruto had signed the toad summoning contract and Sakura had signed the slug contract, he couldn’t help but feel a little left out. In the two years that he and Kakashi were on the road, there was talk of summoning, but he never signed a contract. Kakashi had offered to let Sasuke summon Pakkun and his ninja dogs, but Sasuke politely declined. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t like Pakkun or appreciate the offer, he just wasn’t much of a dog person. Truth be told, he preferred cats.</p><p>Sasuke once more broached the topic of summoning to his sensei, who had suggested he speak with a Tokubetsu jōnin who held a particularly unique summoning contract. No sooner did Anko Mitarashi appear in an extravagant cloud of purple smoke, dango skewer in hand. Sasuke was perplexed at first, unsure as to why the half-insane T&amp;I specialist had appeared before him and Kakashi. She explained that not only did she hold the snake summoning contract, but also had her own Curse mark; courtesy of a certain despicable snake Sannin. She offered Sasuke the summoning contract, which he accepted and signed. Snakes, in his mind, were like cats; quiet, calm, and relatively low maintenance. Snakes were just longer, had scales, no legs, and were cold blooded. He had also borne witness to how strong Orochimaru’s snakes were and figured a summon with that kind of power would prove useful.</p><p>By way of recommendation from Kakashi and Jiraiya, Sasuke and Naruto were promoted to the rank of chūnin. Naruto had wondered aloud why Sakura wasn’t being promoted along with them, which Tsunade coolly dismissed by stating she had already been promoted. Sakura had gently added that many of their classmates were also recently made chūnin, while Shikamaru was on his way to jōnin, while Neij had been a jōnin for a few months by that point.</p><p>As Sasuke and Naruto were still reeling over the fact that they had only just been promoted to chūnin and caught up with their classmates, Jiraiya and Kakashi appeared. Jiraiya had then told the group what he knew about the Akatsuki and their movements. Gaara, who had recently been named Kazekage, had been captured by the Akatsuki. Tsunade had instructed Team 7 to head to Suna and aid them in whatever way they could to retrieve him. They would set out immediately.</p><hr/><p>On their way to Suna, Team 7 had encountered Temari, who was on her return journey from the Chūnin Exams in Konoha. She decided to accompany them after catching up briefly. During their journey, Naruto had told Temari, Sasuke, and Sakura that he was the container of the Nine-Tailed Fox and how the Akatsuki are targeting Gaara because of his status as a jinchūriki. Sasuke and Sakura made a vow to themselves that they would do everything they could to protect Naruto.</p><p>Upon their arrival in Suna, Team 7 had learned of the attack on Kankurō by Sasori of the Red Sand, one of the two Akatsuki who attacked Suna and kidnapped Gaara, and how Kankurō was poisoned by this Sasori. Sakura was able to cure Kankurō and develop portable antidotes, should they meet Sasori in combat. Everyone present was in shock over how quickly she had developed the cure. Naruto and Sasuke knew that she had been studying under Tsunade while they were away, but this was the first time they had seen the fruits of her labor; they were both amazed and proud. Kakashi had summoned Pakkun to track Sasori, which would then lead them to Gaara. Temari had offered to join them, but Elder Chiyo, who was a puppeteer as well as Sasori’s grandmother, went in her stead. Tsunade had also sent Team Guy as backup, since the Akatsuki were not to be taken lightly.</p><p>The Akatsuki had dispatched Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki to deal with Team 7 and Team Guy, respectively. Team Guy was occupied with Kisame, a rogue nin who was one of the former Ninja Swordsmen from Kirigakure; one who wielded a great sword called Samehada, which was famous for devouring chakra. Sasuke, Naruto, and Kakashi would deal with Itachi. Sasuke had frozen when he saw his brother, struggling to sort through the mélange of emotions he was feeling. The ensuing fight was not an easy one, and had taken a great deal of teamwork along with Naruto’s new jutsu, the Ōdama Rasengan, to defeat the rogue Uchiha.</p><p>After the fight, Sasuke sunk to his knees in a state of shock over what had just happened. He had fought his older brother, by whose hand the Uchiha clan was slaughtered in cold blood; and he survived. Despite this, he felt like he had failed. “Itachi” had turned out to be a different person under a transformation. Itachi was still alive; Sasuke hadn’t even been the one to deal the final blow. He had begun to wonder if he had really gotten stronger or if he was just kidding himself. Naruto snapped him out of it, reminding him of everything that had happened since that fateful night. He reminded him of his strength of will and how he was able to overcome the darkness that had nearly consumed him after the Chūnin Exams. He reminded him that Itachi wasn’t the only brother he had, and that seemed to hit home with Sasuke, who sincerely thanked Naruto.</p><p>Team Guy was largely incapacitated by Kisame, and Guy had fought the former Kiri Swordsman alone. Despite the circumstances, he had emerged victorious as well. “Kisame” had also been someone in disguise thanks to a shapeshifting technique. Their fights had been distractions to buy time for the Akatsuki to extract Shukaku, the One-Tailed Tanuki, from Gaara, which would kill him if the extraction was successful. The entrance to the Akatsuki hideout was blocked by a barrier, which Team Guy disabled under Kakashi’s direction. However, the barrier’s failsafe created clones to further delay them. Unfortunately, their delays were successful.</p><p>Team 7 and Chiyo had found Sasori and Deidara, an Iwa rogue shinobi whose specialty was explosive clay, guarding Gaara’s lifeless form. Naruto’s blood boiled; he was angry enough that some of the Nine Tails’ chakra had leaked out, causing his features to turn more animalistic. Deidara flew off on a clay bird with Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi in hot pursuit, while Chiyo and Sakura stayed behind to face Sasori.</p><p>Sasori was a master puppeteer. Sakura had seen what Kankurō was capable of with his puppets, but Sasori was on another level. He was fast, faster than expected, and found every opportunity to strike either with his blade-like tail or with hidden poisoned senbon. Sakura had told Chiyo to use her like she would a puppet, and had destroyed Sasori’s first puppet, Hiruko, which served as a suit of armor. After Hiruko was destroyed, Sasori revealed his true form. He had looked just as young as he had when he left Suna. His greyish brown eyes were half-lidded as his face held a hazy look, framed by his short, mousy red hair. He then revealed one of his favorite puppets: The Third Kazekage. Chiyo’s incredulity prompted Sasori to reveal that he not only killed the Third Kazekage, but turned his body into a puppet, along with 297 other people. He then stated that he planned to do the same to Sakura and Chiyo. Chiyo summoned two puppets that had the appearance of Sasori’s parents; puppets that Sasori had made himself to remind him of them.</p><p>The fight against the Kazekage puppet was bitter. The array of concealed blades, poisons, and traps made Hiruko seem like a child’s doll, but even that puppet was dispatched by Sakura, who was thankful for the rigorous training that Tsunade had put her through, not to mention the doses of antidote she had prepared for the exact situation she had been in. After the destruction of the Kazekage puppet, Sasori had revealed his secret: he had made himself into a living puppet. His heart was kept in a talisman in his chest labeled with the kanji for Scorpion, which allowed him to use chakra. Chiyo used her Shirohigi: Jikki Chikamatsu no Shū, while Sasori countered with his Akahigi: Hyakki no Sōen. In the end, Sasori had died at the hands of the puppets of his mother and father that he had made. The puppets had held him in a similar way that his own parents did when they were alive. Chiyo believed that Sasori let himself be killed. Sakura and Chiyo were both fatally wounded, but Chiyo used a technique that she developed for Sasori to save Sakura’s life. Since Sakura was alive, she was able to heal Chiyo. Sasori’s last words were that he had a spy within Orochimaru’s ranks that he was supposed to meet; Sakura flinched when she heard Orochimaru’s name, but would pass the intel along.</p><p>Naruto and Kakashi’s fight with Deidara started with Kakashi trying to decapitate Deidara with his Kamui, but only managed to sever one of his arms. Sasuke had been floored by Kakashi’s new technique, he had never even heard of it before. After that, an enraged Naruto slammed a Rasengan fueled by the Nine Tails’ chakra into the clay bird that Deidara was trying to escape on. At first, it looked like Naruto had beaten the explosive-obsessed rogue, but it had turned out to be a clay clone. Naruto had started to sprout a third tail because of his anger. Kakashi and Sasuke could tell that he was beginning to appear feral, which prompted Kakashi to use a seal tag that Jiraiya had given him to stop the transformation. Naruto had returned to normal after that.</p><p>Sakura, Chiyo, and Team Guy had caught up with the trio, and Deidara had opted to turn himself into a human bomb. He swallowed some of his clay and exploded. Kakashi collapsed from exhaustion after using his Kamui to send the explosion to another dimension. Unfortunately for them, this wouldn’t be the last of Deidara.</p><p>Naruto carried Gaara’s body as they made their way back to Suna. Along the way, they stopped in a grassy field, where Sakura pronounced Gaara dead. Naruto wept. He wept for his fellow jinchūriki and the cruelty that he had endured because of his burden. He wept for his failure to save him. He wept for his friend. Chiyo tried to revive Gaara with her Kishō Tensei, but didn’t have enough life force left. Naruto had lent his own chakra to help her, and Chiyo was able to revive the fallen Kazekage, but at the unfortunate cost of her own life.</p><p>The group returned to Suna, where they paid their respects to Chiyo and bid Gaara and his siblings farewell. Gaara had extended a hand for Naruto to shake, which Naruto was unprepared for. Sasuke had been the one to gently guide Naruto’s hand to Gaara’s, albeit rather awkwardly. The Konoha shinobi made for home, where Kakashi was put on bedrest because of his exhaustion. Sakura reported the intel she received from Sasori to Tsunade, who thanked her and the rest of them for their work. She gave them some time off to rest. Team 7 thanked Tsunade and the members of Team Guy before they decided to meet at Naruto’s apartment to talk and relax.</p><hr/><p>After their time off and Kakashi’s recovery, Team 7 was summoned to the Hokage Tower for another mission. They were met by their sensei along with Jiraiya and an unknown Konoha shinobi. Jiraiya had started by saying they had a lead on Orochimaru, thanks to the information that Sakura had given them. He was still in the Land of Fire along with his subordinate, Kabuto.</p><p>After his briefing, Tsunade gave them their mission: join up with another team and hunt down Orochimaru. His knowledge and betrayal of Konoha, along with his involvement with the Akatsuki made him too dangerous to be left alive. During their briefing, Team 7 were also introduced to a new member: a jōnin by the name of Yamato. Naruto was apprehensive about having him along for the mission, given that Yamato gave him the creeps. Sasuke had poked fun at his friend for that. Kakashi proceeded to tell his team of his stint in ANBU with Yamato, revealing that he was a wielder of the Mokuton. Team 7’s jaws hit the floor with that new revelation.</p><p>Tsunade gave them two weeks to prepare, since the mission would be long, and they would be up against Orochimaru and likely Itachi as well. Plus, Kakashi and Yamato needed some time to deliberate over which team they would be taking with them. Jiraiya had decided to continue Naruto’s training before he learned Senjutsu later. Sakura continued her apprenticeship with Tsunade alongside Haku and Ino, and asked Haku to train her more in Hyōton, which he gladly agreed to. Sasuke had requested to be trained by Anko Mitarashi in addition to Kakashi, given her knowledge of snake summons. Kakashi had given Sasuke a warning regarding Anko and her extreme training methods, which Sasuke dismissed. Kakashi winced and mused to himself how much Naruto’s confidence rubbed off on him.</p><hr/><p>The combined squad of Team 7 and Team 8 had set out at the end of the two-week buffer period. With Kurenai pregnant, Kakashi was the designated jōnin leader of Team 8, while Yamato spearheaded Team 7. The group had a lead on Orochimaru that was provided by Jiraiya that put him at one of his hidden bases in the Land of Fire. They had found Orochimaru and Kabuto at one of their hidden hideouts within the Land of Fire after traveling for about a week. Orochimaru had fled and once again left Kabuto to stall. This time, however, Kabuto was outmatched. After taking some hits from Hinata’s Gentle Fist, Kabuto fled as well. Kiba had wanted to pursue but was reminded by Kakashi that the primary target was Orochimaru. He reluctantly agreed, knowing full well the mission came first.</p><p>With the help of Hinata’s Byakugan and the noses of Kiba and Akamaru, the eight man squad tracked Orochimaru for a few days before they caught up to him in one of the many forests between Konoha and the Land of Rice Fields, now known as the Land of Sound. Of course, the snake had been expecting them. Sasuke and Naruto’s blood had boiled when Orochimaru taunted them about his success with giving Sasuke the Cursed Seal of Heaven, but held their tongues, not wanting to let the serpentine traitor provoke them.</p><p>Sakura had maintained a hard exterior despite her unshakeable nerves. She remembered what had happened the last time they had faced Orochimaru during the Chūnin Exams and was silently praying that it wouldn’t happen again. Naruto had sensed her apprehension, and with a knowing look in her direction he communicated that he and Sasuke both were just as nervous as she was, but they would pull through by the combined strength of Team 7 and Team 8. She knew he was right, and silently thanked him. Naruto had turned into a beacon of optimism; inspiring her and others to be confident and never back down. He had truly become a ray of sunshine for the Konoha 12, and she admired him for it. The eight-man squad steeled themselves for the fight that was about to take place; Shino readied his insects, Hinata had activated her Byakugan, Kakashi lifted his headband to reveal his Sharingan, while Kiba and Akamaru poised themselves in their signature taijutsu stance. Sasuke’s Sharingan was blazing crimson as he drew his ninjato, Naruto drew a kunai and flared his chakra, ready to create as many shadow clones as needed, Yamato drew his own kunai while he began molding chakra to use his Mokuton at a moment’s notice, while Sakura did the same for her Hyōton and her strength enhancement techniques she had learned from Tsunade.</p><p>The fight was bitter. Orochimaru was nigh on untouchable, his body arching and twisting in unnatural ways to avoid what would be devastating blows. Any blows that did connect had connected with seemingly endless mud clones. Kabuto had managed to further repair Orochimaru’s arms, so he was able to use some ninjutsu without many issues. Thankfully, he was unable to summon Manda, his massive personal snake summon; however he was still able to summon snakes to fight with, as well as use some high-level ninjutsu. Kabuto had managed to find his way back to Orochimaru like a human boomerang, which only made things more difficult.</p><p>Team 8 had elected to deal with Kabuto while Team 7 dealt with Orochimaru; their fight was personal. Normally, anger would cloud the judgement and perception of a ninja, but in Team 7’s case, it fueled them and drove them to fight harder. Their teamwork was impeccable by that point. Sakura was their main ranged hitter, engaging Orochimaru with senbon, kunai, shuriken, as well as some of her Hyōton jutsu that she had learned from Haku. Sasuke made openings by way of his Fireballs for Naruto to hit hard and deal as much damage as he could. Yamato provided support with his Mokuton, blocking attacks that would have been lethal had they connected with any of Team 7. Though the trio had improved immensely and gotten stronger, Orochimaru was still a cut above most. They were giving him a run for his money, and now and again had taken the Sannin by surprise, but he deftly dodged many of the hard-hitting attacks. He was toying with them at first, but had been forced to start fighting more seriously after being caught off guard a few too many times and being forced to shed a few of his precious bodies he had stored.</p><p>Orochimaru had taken advantage of the fatigue that had seeped into Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Yamato. They were slowing down, which was just what he wanted. He saw his opening and took it, and slammed Sakura, Naruto, and Yamato into some of the nearby trees, while he threw Sasuke into the ground like a rotten piece of fruit. Sasuke had seen what the snake Sannin had done to his teammates—no, his <em>friends</em>. The sight of Sakura and Naruto, his <em>brother</em>, gasping for air after having the wind knocked out of them before falling motionless. Seeing his precious people at the mercy of the monster that had given him a Curse Mark made his blood boil. He was trembling with rage, his fists clenched hard enough that his nails dug into his palm and drew blood.</p><p>He focused his fiery gaze on Orochimaru, who had a smug grin plastered on his face. Sasuke felt something awakening within him; a low thrum of energy in his stomach. He had felt it before; he felt it when he first awakened his Sharingan in Wave Country and again when he gained his third Tomoe during his trip with Kakashi. His eyes stung as his Tomoe spun. His normally red iris had turned black; a red, six-pointed pinwheel with a narrow, black pupil spun as it morphed before slowing to a stop. Orochimaru licked his lips with his obscenely long tongue, seemingly salivating at what had occurred in the Uchiha’s ever-desirable eyes. Orochimaru had always wanted to have Sasuke’s Sharingan, but now that he had awoken his Mangekyō Sharingan, the snake Sannin’s lust for the dōjutsu had reached a new level.</p><p>Sasuke was relentless, his Mangekyō Sharingan was blazing. Every strike he aimed at the snake Sannin had Sasuke’s unbridled fury behind it. Orochimaru was quick, but with his newly acquired dōjutsu and his training, Sasuke wasn’t far behind him. He landed some hard hits, and at one point had even caused Orochimaru to shed one of his bodies to avoid being skewered by Sasuke’s Chidori. Unfortunately for Sasuke, the combination of his rage and having his Mangekyō active for so long had tired him out, even if he didn’t show it. Orochimaru landed a hit on Sasuke that sent him flying.</p><p>Just as Orochimaru was approaching the Uchiha heir, he was slammed by a mass of potent, red chakra. Sasuke looked up to see Naruto standing between him and Orochimaru, growling. His whisker marks were thicker and darker, his canines were longer and sharper, resembling fangs, and his eyes were a striking vermillion with black slits in place of pupils. He was surrounded by a cloak of red chakra that seemed to be boiling; three tails made of the same roiling chakra extended out from behind him. Sasuke recognized this chakra; it belonged to the Nine-Tailed Fox. He had remembered sensing it during their mission to Wave Country as he drifted in and out of consciousness after Haku had turned him into a pincushion. This time was different though, Naruto was fully aware of his actions. He wasn’t just releasing the chakra; he was <em>channeling</em> it. Sasuke couldn’t help but smirk.</p><p>Orochimaru was no longer smiling. He knew facing a fully awakened Mangekyō Sharingan and the jinchūriki of the Nine Tails in his three-tailed state wouldn’t be easy, even for him. With Kabuto surprisingly still occupied with Team 8, Orochimaru had to face the duo on his own.</p><p>Naruto was blindingly fast; fast enough that even Sasuke had trouble keeping up with his movements. He wasn’t just fast; he was relentless in his attacks. He was out for blood. Orochimaru had dodged more of his lethal swipes of his claws but had rolled with the punches, countering when the opportunity presented itself.</p><p>Sasuke took advantage of the moments Orochimaru was hit by Naruto’s punches to try and slash at him with his blade, but the snake managed to dodge his cuts. Sasuke was considerably faster, since he had learned to utilize lightning chakra to boost his speed. Coupled with his Sharingan, he was able to track Orochimaru, even if the snake kept slipping right through his fingers.</p><p>Despite his slipperiness, Orochimaru was getting sloppy. He took more blows than he had intended to, trying to roll with the punches Naruto dealt, while dodging Sasuke’s blade. He wanted to end the fight decisively and secure Sasuke’s body and eyes, subsequently, for himself. He threw Naruto aside once more, charging blindingly fast at Sasuke in a last-ditch effort, his lower body taking on its signature serpentine form. The snake Sannin had the Sharingan and the last Uchiha prodigy in his grasp. He unhinged his jaw, extending fangs not unlike a venomous snake, and sank them into Sasuke’s neck with a sickening noise.</p><p>No sooner after Orochimaru started internally celebrating his success did he feel a strange sensation coming from his back. In a puff of smoke, Sasuke had turned into nothing more than a log, which the serpentine man immediately released from his maw. He looked down to see a thin silver line coming from his abdomen, his eyes widening in horror. He turned to see Sasuke standing behind him, his Mangekyō ablaze, giving him a glare that chilled even the indomitable Orochimaru to his bones. He had expected his eyes to be full of fury and rage, but instead they were indifferent, apathetic.</p><p>Orochimaru coughed up blood, his face contorted in pain. A trickle of blood ran from one of Sasuke’s glowing crimson eyes as he muttered, “Amaterasu.” Sasuke withdrew his blade as Orochimaru was consumed in obsidian flames. The Sannin writhed in pain as the fire burned furiously all over him. Sasuke only stared in cold apathy. After he had seen enough, he freed the Sannin’s head from his body with a single swipe of his ninjato. The forest was deathly silent except for the crackle of the black flames. It was over. Orochimaru was dead, and Sasuke had been the one to kill him.</p><p>Truth be told, he took no pleasure in Orochimaru’s suffering. He wasn’t like that inhuman serpent. Even though this was a sort of vengeance, Sasuke felt no sense of triumph over his foe, nor did he feel an inclination to gloat. Rather, he felt relieved that it was finally over; relieved that Orochimaru would no longer be able to hurt people in his twisted ways.</p><p>Unbeknownst to the Uchiha, Naruto was staring at him with wide, sapphire eyes. His chakra cloak had receded, and his features returned to normal. Sakura had also come to and bore witness to the death of the man who had hurt two of her most precious people a few short years ago. She was relieved, but in a state of shock of what Sasuke was capable of. She noticed his eyes looked significantly different than she remembered. Something had happened while she was unconscious; she would ask him after they got back, she knew it wasn’t the time.</p><p>Not a moment after Sakura and Naruto stood up, Sasuke fell to his knees before falling flat on his face. Yamato woke up to the sight of Sasuke on the ground as Naruto and Sakura rushed to him. Coincidentally, Team 8 had arrived just as Naruto, Sakura, and Yamato were helping Sasuke to his feet, and had reported that while they gave Kabuto a beating, he had fled. Orochimaru was nothing more than a pile of ash, the black flames having dissipated. The eight-man squad inwardly cursed the escape of Kabuto, but let out a sigh of relief at the success of eliminating the primary target.</p><p>After resting for the night, they had set out to head home. A few days in, they encountered a masked man in a forest between the Land of Fire and the Land of Sound. The man was surprisingly eccentric. Sasuke had said that he seemed like he had a screw loose, while Naruto simply said he was a moron. The squad had attacked, but the masked man dodged every single attack, not really taking anything seriously. Some of the more hotheaded members of the squad were infuriated that someone so ditzy was making fools of them.</p><p>The one-sided fight ended when a person that was half pitch-black and half white, seemingly surrounded by a giant Venus fly trap, phased out of a tree limb near the masked man. He had glared at them, and Sasuke and Kakashi swore they saw a Sharingan behind his orange swirl mask. The man had disappeared with a wave of his arm, and the plant man had phased back into the tree, both undetectable even by Hinata’s Byakugan. They made haste for Konoha to report to Tsunade.</p><hr/><p>The eight-man squad returned home; weary after everything they had been through. They reported their success in eliminating Orochimaru to Tsunade, who dismissed them after congratulating them. She gave them some much needed time off, which they were all quietly thankful for. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had decided to hang out after they had gotten some rest rather than head straight to Ichiraku. Kakashi was glad he finally had some time to read Icha Icha Tactics.</p><p>A few days had passed before Naruto was summoned to the Hokage Tower, where he was greeted by the Elder Toad Sage known as Fukasaku, who informed him of Jiraiya’s death at the hands of a member of the Akatsuki known as Pain. Naruto was crushed. He lashed out at Tsunade in anger, but she forgave him, knowing how big this loss was for him. Sakura and Kakashi had remained silent the whole time.</p><p>Word quickly reached Sasuke of what happened to the Toad Sage. He immediately went to Naruto to talk to him and comfort him as he had done for Sasuke in the past when his clan was slaughtered. Iruka and Sakura had offered their condolences and words of comfort. Even Kakashi had offered his own words of consolation. It took Sakura and Sasuke both embracing him before he really let himself grieve; he wept as his friends held him. Shikamaru and Sasuke had both given the blond pep talks that truly lifted his spirits. From that point on, he made a vow to train as hard as he could to eliminate the Akatsuki and defeat Pain. Fukasaku offered to bring Naruto to Mount Myōboku to train in Senjutsu and become a Toad Sage as Jiraiya had been. He accepted, and left Konoha once again, promising his precious people to return even stronger.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Phew! That was quite a bit of exposition, huh? Worldbuilding lovers, eat your heart out. Now, I know some folks like the ~mystery~ associated with AUs; but I felt compelled to write this chapter. I didn't want to do a complete rewrite of canon, either (that would have taken way longer), so I tried to cover some of the major events that I remembered to. Kudos if you enjoyed, leave a comment if you feel like it! Thanks for reading! Chapter 4 on its way!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Awake</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto awakens from his unconscious state, seeing the world through new eyes.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Holy cow, two chapters in one day?! Believe me when I say it was fun hammering this one out. Cookie to anyone who catches the (rather obvious) references.<br/>Nope, still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A few days had passed since Naruto was brought back by Kakashi. He hadn’t stirred, save for a few twitches and some groans. His teammates and sensei breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that he wasn’t catatonic, but the fact that he had been out for longer than they had anticipated was a bit concerning. Though he usually healed remarkably quickly thanks to the Nine Tails’ chakra, Naruto seemed to be recovering at a slower pace, even after being aided by Shizune’s treatments.</p>
<p>Sasuke and Kakashi had been aiding in the village reconstruction efforts with Yamato, while Sakura was assisting Shizune and tending to the wounded. Admittedly, Yamato was doing a bulk of the work. His Mokuton was immensely useful, given that he could quite literally create full structures using only his chakra, so he became an invaluable tool. Kakashi and Sasuke had been relegated to basic construction work alongside civilians and shinobi alike.</p>
<p>The trio had always found time to visit Naruto at the end of each day to see him and check in with Shizune. By this point he had bandages wrapped around his eyes, his headband sat folded next to his head. Sasuke, Kakashi, and Sakura would usually spend their time reminiscing and discussing the progress of reconstruction while they visited Naruto. They knew he couldn’t hear them, but just being in his presence made them feel like they were still a complete team. Still, they couldn’t help but worry about him, and each of them had quietly hoped he would wake up soon.</p>
<hr/>
<p>There were no dreams. There were no voices. There was no mindscape. There was no fox. There was no cage. There was no beginning. There was no end. There was only darkness. There was only silence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto heard muffled voices as he stirred. He recognized the voices of Kakashi, Sasuke, and Sakura. There was a fourth voice that he hadn’t heard in a while. <em>‘Shizune? What’s she doing here?’ </em>He wondered. He noticed was that laying on a small futon. His head hurt, feeling like he had taken one of Tsunade’s punches. He groaned as he sat up; the voices silenced immediately. He tried to open his eyes, only to find that he couldn’t.</p>
<p>Sakura threw her arms around the blond. “You’re awake,” she breathed. Naruto returned her hug as he nodded into her shoulder.</p>
<p>Sasuke put a hand on his friend’s shoulder after Sakura let go. “About time you came around, blockhead,” he quipped. Naruto threw a scowl in the direction of Sasuke’s voice, which was chased by his signature foxy grin.</p>
<p>“Welcome back, Naruto,” Kakashi greeted, his tone carrying laid back delight. Naruto could practically see his eye crinkle in his signature smile.</p>
<p>“Thanks, sensei,” he said warmly. He felt a soft hand ruffle his hair, followed by a familiar voice.</p>
<p>“Good to see you’re awake and able to sit up on your own. How do you feel?” Shizune asked.</p>
<p>“I feel okay. My head kinda hurts, but I don’t feel weak or sick or anything,” Naruto explained. “But I can’t see. I tried to open my eyes earlier, but they wouldn’t, well, open. What gives?” Shizune gently took his hand and led it up to his temple, letting him feel the bandages that were wrapped around his eyes.</p>
<p>Naruto’s breath hitched. “What the hell? What happened to my eyes? Am I blind?!” He started to panic before Shizune took his hand once more.</p>
<p>“Calm down, it’s alright. You’re not blind. Your eyes were just…injured, so we needed to wrap them to make sure they heal properly,” she explained. Naruto could hear the undertones of secrecy in her tone and the way she hesitated.</p>
<p>Naruto pursed his lips, throwing Shizune a look of doubt. “What do you mean ‘injured’?” He asked, forming air quotes over the last word.</p>
<p>She was about to answer before Kakashi cleared his throat to get Naruto’s attention. “We were actually hoping <em>you’d </em>be able to tell us that, Naruto,” he began. “Your eyes were injured when I found you, you see.”</p>
<p>Naruto sat and pondered for a moment. He turned to Kakashi’s general direction. “Wait, just how long was I out for?” He asked.</p>
<p>He was met with silence before he heard Sakura speak up in a soft, sympathetic voice, “You were asleep for nine days.” Naruto’s jaw hit the floor. If his eyes weren’t bandaged shut, no doubt they would be the size of dinner plates. He sat in silence for a moment, poring over what Sakura had told him. He’d only ever been unconscious if he was seriously injured. This seemingly minor injury shouldn’t have knocked him out for nine whole days.</p>
<p>His train of thought was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. “Naruto, can you tell us what you remember before you woke up?” Kakashi gently asked.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod. “I found the guy controlling Pain. His name was Nagato. I remember him using a jutsu that I’d never heard of. His friend said that it would revive everyone he killed. He mentioned something about hatred and pain and war, and how I would face something in time. Then he told me that he believed I could bring true peace,” he explained. He paused for a moment as he set his hands down in his lap. “After that, I remember the world spinning, then everything went dark,” he said quietly. He felt Sakura grip his hand and squeeze to reassure him. He returned the gesture, a small smile tugging at his mouth.</p>
<p>Kakashi sighed. Sakura gently laid Naruto down as Shizune made her way to him. She laid her hands over his eyes, channeling healing chakra into them. Naruto felt a tingling sensation in his eye sockets. He laid still as he felt the healing chakra enter his system. Shizune inwardly sighed in relief, knowing that this was the last session he would need.</p>
<p>Naruto felt Shizune’s hands leave his head. He sat up again, scratching the back of his head, avoiding the bandages. “So, how bad is it? How much longer will I have these bandages over my eyes?” Naruto asked anxiously. He was worried that his vision would be impaired, which would mean his abilities as a shinobi would be blunted, which would mean he wouldn’t be as strong as he would need to be to protect people.</p>
<p>His trepidation only increased when he was met with silence, the air thick with anticipation. He flinched when he felt hands reach behind his head, but relaxed as soon as they started to unwrap the bandages. He sat still with bated breath as the last of the bandages were carefully peeled away from his face.</p>
<p>“Can you open your eyes, Naruto?” Shizune gently asked. Naruto slowly opened his eyes to see Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, and Shizune all sitting in front of him in an arc, their eyes wide. They all let out a gasp as he fully opened his eyes. Shizune and Sakura both brought their hands up to their chest, Sasuke activated his Sharingan out of instinct, and Kakashi simply stared at him wide-eyed.</p>
<p>Naruto blinked a few times. He could see perfectly fine. In fact, he could see even better than before. The world looked sharper; minute details were suddenly more noticeable. He cocked his head to one side, eyeing the people in front of him.</p>
<p>“Uh…is…something wrong? I can see perfectly fine, in fact I can kinda see better than before,” he explained while he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.</p>
<p>“I…think you’d better see for yourself, Naruto,” Kakashi said slowly. He gestured to Sakura, who went through a couple of hand seals before a sheet of ice materialized in front of him, its surface instantly polishing to a mirror finish. Naruto looked at his reflection, seeing the purple eyes widening to the size of dinner plates before he let out a yelp and jumped back.</p>
<p>“Wh-wh-what the fuck happened to my eyes?! Why are they purple?! Why do they look like that?! What happened to my blue eyes?! WHAT IS GOING ON?!” Naruto was hysterical and on the verge of hyperventilating. The ice mirror instantly melted, revealing Sakura wordlessly lunging towards Naruto, her hand pulled back. Her open palm met his left cheek with a loud slap, snapping him out of his hysteria. Naruto went stiff as a board, his gaze focused on Sakura, who despite her stony expression held concern in her emerald eyes.</p>
<p>Naruto took a deep breath, regaining his composure. “Thanks. I…needed that. Can…you make another small mirror, Sakura? I want to look at my eyes some more,” he said quietly. Sakura nodded and made a small ice mirror in front of him. He stared at his reflection, examining his muted purple eyes with thin, black concentric circles, looking like ripples. He used his fingers to gently pull down his lower eyelid to see just how far the purple and ripples went. His entire eye was the same shade of muted purple save for where his iris would be, which was slightly darker than the rest of his eye and outlined with a thin black circle. The narrow, black pupils gave his new eyes a more unsettling appearance. He found himself feeling a little creeped out by just how intense his gaze was now. He turned to Kakashi. “This isn’t a genjutsu or a transformation, is it?” He had a feeling it wasn’t either, but he was secretly hoping that this was just some kind of high level genjutsu that not even his sensei could break.</p>
<p>Kakashi shook his head dejectedly. “Unfortunately, it isn’t. I had thought the same thing when I first found you and examined your eyes. I even checked with my Sharingan, but found no signs of any genjutsu or transformation. Even if it was a high-level transformation, it would have released as soon as Shizune started healing you,” Kakashi explained.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod in response. “So, just what exactly is up with my eyes? What are they?” He asked. <em>‘Why do I feel like I’ve seen these eyes before? They seem so…familiar,’ </em>Naruto thought. The sense of déjà vu was part of the reason he had nearly slipped into hysterics earlier, aside from the fact that his own blue eyes were gone and replaced by whatever these eyes are.</p>
<p>“Well, put simply, they’re a dōjutsu; not unlike Sasuke’s Sharingan or the Hyūga’s Byakugan. Yours is called the Rinnegan,” Kakashi explained.</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head. “If they’re a dōjutsu, how come I can’t turn them on and off like the Sharingan or the Byakugan?”</p>
<p>Kakashi raised his pointer finger upwards, meeting Naruto’s inquisitive gaze with his own half-lidded one. “Your Rinnegan is different from either of those. One of the main differences being that it’s always active; meaning you can’t necessarily ‘turn it off’ like the Sharingan or the Byakugan,” he began. “Not only that, but the Rinnegan are one of if not the most powerful dōjutsu. Those eyes you’ve got are really quite special,” he finished jovially.</p>
<p>Naruto beamed and shot Sasuke a wry, foxy grin. “Looks like you’re gonna need to step your dōjutsu game up, duckbutt,” he teased.</p>
<p>“Tch, as if you’d be able to keep up, dummy,” Sasuke shot back with a smirk.</p>
<p>“Not only are they powerful,” Kakashi interrupted, throwing the two chūnin a knowing look. “They’re also very rare. I’ve only ever heard of two people possessing the Rinnegan, and only ever seen one other person with them; aside from you, Naruto.”</p>
<p>Naruto swallowed as a knot formed in his stomach. “Who are the others?” He asked, his voice thick with trepidation. A sense of dread was seeping its way into him, as his mind started putting some of the pieces together. He had recognized the Rinnegan because he <em>had</em> seen it before; he just didn’t want to believe it, didn’t want to remember.</p>
<p>Kakashi’s gaze was unwavering as he spoke evenly, “The first was a man known as the Sage of Six Paths. He’s more of a myth or legend, and is said to be the ancestor of all shinobi. He was also the first and, until recently, only wielder of the Rinnegan. The second one was…well…”</p>
<p>Naruto let out a quivering sigh. “Pain,” he finished quietly. Kakashi nodded in response. “No wonder they seemed so familiar. Pain and Nagato had these exact eyes. But why do I have them? I’m not sure about my mom but my dad didn’t have any dōjutsu, at least as far as I could tell,” the blond stated. He winced as he realized what he had just unintentionally revealed about his parentage.</p>
<p>Kakashi’s eye narrowed as the rest of the group looked at the blond with perplexity. “And just how would you know that your father didn’t have any dōjutsu, exactly?” Kakashi probed, his tone bearing an edge that was usually reserved for scolding.</p>
<p>Team 7 collectively flinched at Kakashi’s tone. Naruto averted his eyes down to the sheets in front of him, avoiding his sensei’s stern gaze. “I…well…I, uh…I met him…” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck once again.</p>
<p>“You…met your father?” Kakashi asked, his tone softening to one of concerned curiosity.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod. “I remember laying on my back in my mindscape after I started seeing red, and then the Nine Tails started talking to me, saying stuff about how he could take away my suffering; tempting me and stuff. He told me I just needed to remove the seal on the cage that was holding him. I…I nearly did it. I was about to remove it when someone caught me and snapped me out of what I was doing. The fox called him the Fourth Hokage. He…he knew my name, he said he named me, said I was his son. That’s when it clicked that the Fourth Hokage was my dad. He fixed the seal on my stomach, and after that I left my mindscape,” he explained, his voice breaking at the mention of his father. He felt tears stinging the corners of his eyes as he looked back up to see that Kakashi’s gaze had softened. The rest of the group, even Sasuke, wore sympathetic expressions. They all knew how much it meant to Naruto that he finally knew who his father was after so many years.</p>
<p>“Minato Namikaze,” Kakashi said wistfully. “He was my sensei, and one of the greatest men I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing,” he said quietly, a far off look in his eye. He turned his gaze back to his student. “Naruto, your father loved you. More than anything; more than life,” he said with sincerity. Naruto could have sworn he saw Kakashi’s eye glistening.</p>
<p>He nodded in response, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “So, like I was saying, since I’m fairly sure I don’t have a bloodline, there’s no way I awakened my eyes like Sasuke awakened his Sharingan back when we were genin,” he reasoned before Sakura cleared her throat.</p>
<p>“There’s something you should know, Naruto. When Kakashi-sensei brought you back, I checked your injuries to see how bad they were, and I noticed something a little…odd about them,” she began, taking a deep breath. “Your injuries weren’t consistent with anything that could have been done with a kunai or someone ripping your eyes out with their bare hands. It felt like someone had used a scalpel to carefully cut your optic nerves and ocular muscles. Not only that, the cuts made had been partially healed before you got here,” she explained to an enrapt Naruto.</p>
<p>“Truth be told, the fact that you were healed before you got here is very likely the reason your sense of sight was saved,” Shizune chimed in. “If the person that healed you hadn’t controlled the bleeding and done what they did, it’s possible you would be blind right now.” Naruto shuddered at the thought of losing his sense of sight because of a botched field surgery. He silently thanked the heavens for his abundant luck before giving a nod of understanding.</p>
<p>Kakashi brought a hand to his chin, his head cocking to one side as he pondered. He returned his attention back to his blond student, his half-lidded gaze unwavering. “This may be a bit of a stretch, but I think it’s worth considering that Pain, or rather Nagato, might have given you his Rinnegan. Given that you don’t remember anything after your conversation with him, the fact that your ‘wounds’ were more consistent with a field surgery, and that they had been healed slightly before I found you, I think it’s a possibility worth considering,” Kakashi theorized. This earned him a puzzled stare from everyone in the tent, but as Naruto mulled it over for a moment, he began to see his sensei’s reasoning.</p>
<p>“Maybe his friend had something to do with it. I think her name was Kanao? No that’s not it…Korra? No…Konan! Her name was Konan. She had pretty blue hair and amber eyes. Now that I think about it, I think I remember Nagato saying something to Konan before I went unconscious,” Naruto said as his teammates sighed in exasperation at his shoddy memory. It was to be expected, given that he was asleep for nine days after being knocked unconscious, but they hadn’t expected him to fumble over the name that much after clearly remembering Nagato’s name.</p>
<p>“Well, your eyes seem to be functioning just fine, and you can move your arms just fine. Do you think you can stand up on your own?” Shizune spoke up after Naruto’s stumbling. He nodded with a grin. Shizune removed the IV needle from his arm before she helped him up. Naruto let out an exaggerated sigh at the feeling of finally being able to stretch his legs. Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi stood up with the blond. Sakura gave Naruto another hug, which he returned. Sasuke held out his fist, which Naruto bumped, exchanging friendly smirks with each other. Kakashi gave him a familiar smile, which he returned with his foxy grin.</p>
<p>“So, how’s the village? Is reconstruction coming along okay?” Naruto asked.</p>
<p>“Yeah, Captain Yamato has been busting his ass with his Mokuton creating buildings like houses, apartment complexes, and government buildings. He’s got most of the area covered by now, I think,” Sasuke answered. Naruto’s eyes widened in surprise. He knew Yamato’s Mokuton could create structures, but he didn’t realize that he was able to create actual livable buildings, too.</p>
<p>Naruto hung his head as his thoughts meandered to the Hyūga girl that had put herself between him and Pain. “What about…Hinata? Is…is she okay? Is she alive?”</p>
<p>Sakura gently took his hand in hers. “She’s okay. The rod she was stabbed with missed her vital organs. She’s just resting,” she reassured with a soft voice.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod. “Thank the heavens,” he breathed. He was grateful to the pale-eyed girl, but he felt a pang of guilt knowing that she put herself in harm’s way for his sake.</p>
<p>“And Granny? Is she okay?” The blond asked as he raised his head, concern written on his face.</p>
<p>“Lady Tsunade is still unconscious,” Shizune said quietly, her head hanging slightly. “Summoning Katsuyu to protect everyone in the village during Pain’s attack left her pretty exhausted. She’s stable, but she needs more rest before her chakra levels return to normal,” she explained, her voice carrying an undertone of sadness. Naruto nodded somberly.</p>
<p>“At least she’s alive. She’s tough; she’ll wake up soon, I just know it,” he stated confidently. Shizune and Sakura both regarded him with small smiles.</p>
<p><em>‘There’s that trademark optimism of his,’ </em>Sakura mused. She knew that his optimism would be much needed in the coming days, so she was glad he retained that despite everything.</p>
<p>Naruto’s stomach growled audibly. Kakashi quickly tossed Naruto a ration bar. The blond examined the silver-wrapped parcel before shrugging and tearing it open to dig in. It was dry, but after not eating for over a week, he didn’t care. It wasn’t ramen, but it would do for now.</p>
<p>“Say, do you know if Ichiraku has been rebuilt yet? I would kill for a bowl of miso char siu ramen right now,” Naruto said, drooling at the thought of his own personal ambrosia.</p>
<p>“I think I saw something in the shape of a ramen stall on my way over here, but I don’t think it’s open just yet,” Sasuke answered. He would never admit it, but over the years he had come to really enjoy the company of Teuchi and Ayame; they were good people. Their shoyu seafood ramen wasn’t half bad either. The only thing that could have made it better would be if they offered tomatoes as a side dish.</p>
<p>Naruto pouted at the cruel reality of his favorite place in the world not being open yet, but he understood that things take time. He turned to his sensei as an idea popped into his head. “Hey, Kakashi-sensei, do you think it would be possible for you to help me train to use my Rinnegan? You have a Sharingan, which is a dōjutsu, so,” he inquired.</p>
<p>Kakashi brought a hand to his chin, mulling his student’s question over for a moment. “Well, I can certainly try. But like I said earlier, the Rinnegan is different from the Sharingan. However, as your sensei I’ll do my best, given my limited knowledge,” he said reassuringly.</p>
<p>Naruto was about to burst out of the medical tent before Kakashi silently put a hand up for him to stop. The blond cocked his head, miffed at the denial of his exit. “What gives? Shouldn’t I be training with these new eyes of mine?” He asked indignantly.</p>
<p>Kakashi regarded his student with his usual half-lidded stare. “While it’s good that you’re so eager to train again and get even stronger, it’s important to consider your circumstances,” he explained sagely. “Firstly, you just woke up after being asleep for nine days. I know you say you feel fine, but it’s best that you ease into training and let your body get accustomed to your eyes, which I’m certain feel different than before,” he explained. Naruto nodded in response. “Speaking of which, your new eyes are to be kept secret. Nobody besides the people in this tent and Lady Tsunade are to know about them. As far as I’m concerned, they’re an S-class secret unless Lady Tsunade says otherwise,” he said with finality.</p>
<p>Naruto considered his sensei’s words. <em>‘I guess he’s right, I’m pretty sure nobody knows I have the Rinnegan, and who knows what could happen if word got out that I did. Heaven forbid Kabuto comes after me. Or worse…’ </em>His thoughts trailed off as he shuddered at the idea of someone coming after him simply for his eyes. Never mind the fact that he was the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.</p>
<p>“So how do I keep my eyes a secret? My hair isn’t exactly long enough for me to hide my eyes, especially not with my headba—” Kakashi quickly produced a pair of sunglasses that resembled the ones worn by the Aburame clan. Naruto glanced between the sunglasses and the silver-haired cyclops; a perplexed expression plastered on his face. “Sunglasses? Really? Why not a transformation or a genjutsu?” He asked.</p>
<p>“Even with your chakra reserves, you still aren’t good at genjutsu, and holding the transformation would be a constant drain on your chakra. That, and…well, frankly, anybody above a genin would be able to see through either,” Kakashi explained, a little too cheerfully.</p>
<p>Naruto nervously chuckled at the bluntness of his sensei. He may be tactless at times, but he’s right when he’s right. He took the sunglasses and put them on. Interestingly, the sunglasses didn’t darken his vision as he thought. Rather, they seemed to act more as one-way mirrors: letting him see out but not letting others see in.</p>
<p>“Now then,” Kakashi began as he regarded his three students. “I think it’s safe to say that we all ought to go get some rest. Even with the village being mostly rebuilt for the time being, we still need to provide security and assist with construction. That, and I’m sure you all are eager to spend some time together now that Naruto is awake. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” he finished with a masked smile before he exited the tent.</p>
<p>The chūnin of Team 7 thanked Shizune before setting out together, walking through the village and seeing how reconstruction was coming along. Naruto had remembered Hiruzen mentioning the Will of Fire in passing, which he shrugged off as some proverb that old geezers used when talking about whatever old people talked about; but seeing the way the village was coming together to rebuild the village had made him realize that the Will of Fire was something that really did exist in the people of Konoha.</p>
<p>People had begun recognizing Naruto despite his sunglasses. Word had gotten around that he was the one who had beaten Pain and saved the village. He wasn’t used to positive attention after being the village pariah for so many years, but he had to admit that it felt nice not to have dirty looks shot at him every time he passed by someone. He responded politely to everyone who had greeted him and thanked him, albeit a little sheepishly. Having Sakura and Sasuke there with him helped him not feel too awkward.</p>
<p>Sasuke led the way, since he was the one most involved with aiding in the construction. The trio had talked the whole way towards the residential district, parting ways once Sakura was near her home. Sasuke led them to Naruto’s newly rebuilt apartment complex, which didn’t look nearly as shoddy as he remembered it. Some parts could do with a coat of paint, but it was shaping up to be a rather nice complex.</p>
<p>“Well, here we are. It’s in the same place, so you know where to go. I’ll see you later, Naruto,” Sasuke said before he handed him a key and headed off in the opposite direction of Naruto’s apartment complex. Naruto waved goodbye before he stepped into his new old apartment.</p>
<p>“Huh. It seems roomier than I remember,” he thought aloud. He shrugged and chalked it up to the generosity of the village populace. It was astounding how quickly things were being rebuilt. His apartment already had furniture, a coat of paint, and electricity, to boot. Naruto looked in the cupboards, hoping to find some food (preferably some instant ramen), only to be met with the empty stare of the back paneling of said cupboards. He let out an audible groan. He shouldn’t be too surprised; no doubt, the village was sustaining itself on the food banks it had set aside for natural disasters, so food would be scarcer than they were used to until things got back up and running. “Still, you would think that non-perishables would be in abundance,” he muttered to himself.</p>
<p>He realized he was still wearing his sunglasses and removed them, setting them on his kitchen table. He decided to head to the bathroom to examine his new eyes further. Naruto stared at his reflection, finding it hard to recognize himself. The purple ringed orbs were so foreign on his face, their intense gaze unwavering. <em>‘This is gonna take some getting used to…’</em> he thought as he let out a sigh. Despite the bizarre appearance of the Rinnegan, his eyes still communicated some degree of emotion. He could tell that his eyes displayed the confusion he was feeling about his old blue eyes being replaced by these relics of power. He stared at himself for a few moments more, trying to sort through the cacophony of thoughts whirling through his mind. He let out another sigh before heading towards his bedroom.</p>
<p>Naruto sat himself down on his bed, pondering what had happened during his fight with Nagato and afterwards. He figured that Nagato must have had something to do with this; he was the last person to have possessed the Rinnegan, after all. The only question was: what exactly did he do? He couldn’t have done much. He was practically on death’s door even before he used the Rinne Tensei. Naruto rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He thought about his father, the Fourth Hokage: Minato Namikaze. He didn’t see any dōjutsu when he met him in his mindscape. Then again, he wasn’t sure if the souls of the dead still retained their dōjutsu when they passed on, or in his father’s case, sealed a portion of their chakra within their son.</p>
<p>His thoughts drifted towards his mother. Naruto shut his eyes as he felt the beginnings of tears forming. He knew who his father was, at long last; but still his heart ached. For as long as he could remember, he had wanted to know who his mother was. He wanted to know if she loved him. Despite not knowing her, he knew that deep down he loved her. He wondered if maybe the Rinnegan came from her; maybe it was her bloodline. He shook his head, remembering the conversation he had with Kakashi. Still, some part of him hoped that his eyes were a gift from his mother.</p>
<p>Naruto’s train of thought was interrupted as he heard his apartment door being opened. His eyes snapped open as he sprung up off his bed, jogging towards his living room. His jaw went slack as he beheld the last Uchiha of Konoha taking his sandals off, a bag slung over his shoulder. Naruto could see scrolls peeking out of the top of the bag. Sasuke took notice of his teammate, turning to the blond with an even gaze as Naruto stared at him incredulously.</p>
<p>“Sasuke? What are you doing here? How did you get in?”</p>
<p>“The door,” Sasuke replied plainly.</p>
<p>Naruto groaned. “I mean how did you open the door?”</p>
<p>“With the doorknob. I turned it with my hand,” the Uchiha explained dryly.</p>
<p>Naruto slapped his hand against his forehead, growing more irritated. “I meant how the hell did you unlock the door to <em>my</em> apartment, wiseass.”</p>
<p>“This,” Sasuke stated as he held up a key.</p>
<p>Naruto’s brow furrowed as he frowned at his teammate. “Why the fuck do you have a key to <em>my </em>apartment, Uchiha?” He spat.</p>
<p>Sasuke maintained his gaze, his onyx eyes unmoving. He had one hell of a poker face. “It’s not just <em>your</em> apartment, Uzumaki,” he said evenly.</p>
<p>Naruto’s eyes narrowed as his brow furrowed even further. His mouth moved, but he found no words. He stood there looking like a fish out of water.</p>
<p>“I live here, too, moron,” Sasuke stated flatly.</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head; his jaw went slack as his brow furrowed even further. He was utterly speechless.</p>
<p>Sasuke rolled his eyes as he let out a vexed sigh. “I’m moving in with you, you great lummox,” he said, his tone only showing slight irritation that the blond was unable to put two and two together.</p>
<p>Naruto’s head straightened as his face went from one of irritation to one of curiosity. “You’re moving in with me? But why? Why not stay in the Uchiha compound like you had been?”</p>
<p>“Well, I was considering it. But the fact of the matter is that that place has a lot of memories; not all of them are good, either,” Sasuke explained.</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, processing his response. Sasuke had a point; it was just shy of a miracle he hadn’t had a full-on nervous breakdown from living in a ghost town. He knew Sasuke loved his mother dearly, and her memory was likely one of the few that kept him afloat. Naruto had always made it a point to visit him at the Uchiha compound now and again, or to invite him over to his place for tea or just to talk.</p>
<p>“I think it’s time I let that part of my past go,” Sasuke began. “We’ve been best friends since my mom found out you were living in that apartment after you got kicked out of the orphanage. You were the only one who checked up on me after my family was killed. Hell, you let me stay with you so I wouldn’t be left to my own devices. I know you were there when I told Sakura this, but in the time after the massacre, when you were the one looking after me; that’s when I really started to see you as my brother.” His tone was even, typical of the Uchiha heir, but Naruto knew that he was being sincere. He offered Sasuke a small smile, his purple rippled eyes softening.</p>
<p>Sasuke started removing the scrolls from his bag. “We’ve always looked out for each other, so I figured we would keep that up. I’ll likely return to the Uchiha compound one day. When that will be, I don’t really know. Maybe I’ll revive the Uchiha clan someday and move back there to wipe the slate clean, but I suppose I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.” There was an air of wistfulness as he spoke of his former home and the possibility of reviving one of the three great clans of Konoha.</p>
<p>Naruto eyed the scrolls that Sasuke had set on the table. “What’s with the scrolls?”</p>
<p>“These,” Sasuke gestured towards the scrolls in question. “Are storage scrolls. I stopped by the food bank to get us some groceries. Along with dinner for tonight.”</p>
<p>Naruto raised an eyebrow as Sasuke unfurled one of the scrolls and channeled chakra into the storage seal. With a poof and a cloud of smoke, a pair of instant ramen cups appeared. Naruto’s face stretched into an ear-to-ear smile at the sight.</p>
<p>“I don’t love this stuff as much as you, but I know that you would save this flavor for special occasions,” he said to his elated teammate. The smile on Naruto’s face was comically huge. “Plus, I like the soy sauce flavor. Reminds me of the shoyu from Ichiraku. So, I figured we’d celebrate you waking up and the whole saving the village thing,” he explained as he put on a kettle to boil.</p>
<p>Naruto opened his mouth to thank Sasuke before a thought invaded his mind. “Wait, where are you going to sleep? There’s only one bedroom, so one of us is gonna need to take the couch,” he wondered. Sasuke pointed towards the hallway. Naruto hadn’t noticed that there was another door across from his. Naruto cocked his head, staring down the hallway. It was no wonder the place seemed bigger; it was meant for two people.</p>
<p>The kettle whistled, breaking Naruto out of his stupor. He turned to see Sasuke pouring the boiling water into the two ramen cups, setting pairs of chopsticks on top of the paper lids. The two sat across from each other as Naruto gave his new roommate a foxy grin. Sasuke returned with a smile of his own. The two ate in comfortable silence before turning in for the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really love writing dialogue between Naruto and Sasuke. As always, kudos if you enjoyed, and feel free to leave a comment if you feel like it. Thanks for reading! Chapter 5 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Back to Basics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto begins training again, and discovers one of the abilities his Rinnegan grant him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Enter: chapter 5! A bit shorter than the previous couple, but oh well.<br/>Ah, yeah, I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto and Sasuke were awoken by loud knocking on their apartment door. Both groaned as they trudged out of their beds to meet each other in the hallway. Naruto still had his sleeping cap on, while Sasuke had pushed his red sleep mask up to his forehead. They regarded each other with heavy eyes before turning towards the living room to answer the door. Both were grumbling about who could possibly have the nerve to wake them up not long after sunrise.</p>
<p>Naruto opened the door to an out-of-breath Sakura. The two boys turned to each other, each raising an eyebrow.</p>
<p>Naruto sleepily rubbed an eye. “Sakura, what’s going on? Why are you so out of breath?” He asked before yawning.</p>
<p>Sakura took a deep breath to try and steady her heart, which threatened to pound its way out of her chest. “Come with me, quickly,” she began, as her lungs fought for precious oxygen. “It’s Lady Tsunade, she’s awake!”</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke’s eyes bulged as their jaws went slack. The duo turned tail and sprinted to their rooms to throw on their clothes and headbands. Naruto was about to step out of the apartment before Sasuke tapped on his shoulder, holding his sunglasses. Naruto winced and put them on, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The trio set out, leaping over rooftops as Sakura led the way.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto had found it strange that they were heading towards the Great Stone Faces, but figured that there were parts of the village that were unknown to him. His days as a prankster had meant he found plenty of places to hide from ANBU and other shinobi. Sakura had led her teammates to a hidden entrance below the face of the First Hokage that was guarded by ANBU. After verifying their identities and their reasons for being there, they were granted entry. The ANBU agent channeled chakra into a hidden seal, making the stone give way to a heavy metal door that creaked as it opened.</p>
<p>The door slammed shut behind them as Sakura led her teammates down a stone corridor. Naruto couldn’t help but study his surroundings in awe. <em>‘If a place like this exists…I wonder how many other secret locations there are in the village that only Granny and ANBU know about,’ </em>he mused to himself. Sasuke kept his gaze straight ahead for the most part, only allowing his eyes to glance at the various doors and hallways that they passed by. He had to admit, the idea of having a location like this hidden in essentially plain sight was impressive. He never would have guessed that the same mountainside that the Great Stone Faces sat upon held a complex like this.</p>
<p>The three chūnin stopped at another door guarded by two ANBU. Once again, they were asked to verify who they were before they were let inside. They stepped into a small stone hospital room, where they were greeted by a flustered Shizune trying to cajole Tsunade, who was standing up and disconnecting herself from her IV drip, back into bed. The trio grimaced at the all too familiar situation. They had joked amongst themselves in the past that Shizune was like Tsunade’s babysitter, and scenarios like this only furthered that joke into a sad truth.</p>
<p>“Granny! You’re awake! And…standing up,” the blond greeted cheerfully, though he ended on a slightly apprehensive note. Sakura and Sasuke bowed, the former glaring at Naruto before grabbing his head and pushing it into a deep bow.</p>
<p>“Oh, come on, you three. Raise your heads. While I appreciate the respect,” Tsunade said as she shot a look at her pseudo-grandson. “I’m not in the tower right now, and it’s just us and the ANBU outside my door,” she finished with a small smile. The three chūnin straightened and nodded, returning her smile, while Naruto wore his signature grin.</p>
<p>“It’ll take more than chakra exhaustion to keep me down. Besides, I’ve got a village to protect,” the buxom Hokage stated resolutely. No sooner did the door open once again, revealing the cycloptic jōnin leader of Team 7. Kakashi gave a small bow to the Hokage, which she received with a nod.</p>
<p>“Now then, as good as it is to see you all alive and well, we have a few things to discuss. Unfortunately, the Hokage Tower hasn’t been rebuilt in its entirety just yet, so this room will have to do. Don’t worry, nothing will leave this room. Not only is it carved into solid rock, but there are soundproofing seals on the walls, floor, and ceiling. Now then. I believe you,” Tsunade gestured towards Naruto. “Have something rather…interesting, to show me,” she stated coolly.</p>
<p>The blond gulped as he quickly glanced at his teammates, who offered him small nods of encouragement. Naruto took a breath before nodding to his Hokage and removing his sunglasses. Tsunade’s features set into a hard, analytical expression as she studied Naruto’s newly acquired Rinnegan. She approached him slowly before gently grabbing his chin, tilting his head backwards, left, and right before releasing him.</p>
<p>“Look left…look right,” she directed as he did so, revealing the extent of the muted purple and its ripples. Tsunade hummed as she observed. “So, it’s true, you’ve acquired the Rinnegan. Kakashi and Sakura told me that you don’t remember what happened, but just to verify: do you remember what happened and how you came to have these eyes?” Naruto meekly shook his head.</p>
<p>He told her about his conversation with Nagato and how he told him that he could bring about peace, but that he would face hatred, pain, and death in the future. After that, the world spun, and he was out like a light. Sakura and Shizune had informed her of the state of Naruto’s wounds when he was first brought back by Kakashi. Naruto had mentioned Nagato’s friend, Konan, in passing. She silently noted that this Konan could possibly be connected to Naruto’s acquisition of the Rinnegan, and she would follow up on her suspicion later.</p>
<p>Tsunade pursed her lips before taking a deep breath, speaking with a soft voice. “Naruto, do you understand what those eyes are capable of?” Naruto stared at the ground before shaking his head.</p>
<p>“The most I remember is what Katsuyu explained to me, what I saw during the fight, and what happened with the jutsu that revived everyone. Other than that, I’m pretty clueless,” Naruto dejectedly explained. He snapped his gaze up to meet Tsunade’s honey-colored eyes, determination burning in his own. “But that’s not gonna stop me from training to use them as best I can. I asked Kakashi-sensei and he said he would help me. That counts for something right?”</p>
<p>A smirk tugged at the corner of Tsunade’s mouth. She ruffled her pseudo-grandson’s hair. “That’s the spirit, brat.” The others couldn’t help but smile at Naruto’s resolve.</p>
<p>Kakashi stepped forward. “Lady Tsunade, regarding Naruto’s training, I’d like to request permission to use Training Ground 44 in addition to Training Ground 3. Given the circumstances, I think it’s best that as few people are aware of Naruto’s dōjutsu as possible,” he stated. Tsunade placed a hand on her hip, considering the jōnin’s request.</p>
<p>The Hokage shook her head after a pregnant silence. “While I completely understand your line of thinking, I’m afraid I’m going to have to deny your request. As you said, given the circumstances, it’s best that as few people as possible are made aware of Naruto’s eyes. Training Ground 44, while outside the village and away from prying eyes, is almost exclusively used as a stage for the Chūnin Exams. Using it as an actual training ground might indirectly draw unnecessary attention from…certain parties,” she answered, her voice dripping with disgust at her last words. Kakashi caught her drift, and any protests he had thought to make were shelved. He had heard of Danzō and his meddling ways. He had witnessed it in the way he had defied Hiruzen, the way he operated ROOT, and the way he had proposed turning Naruto into a weapon like Suna had done to their own jinchūriki. The war hawk learning of Naruto’s Rinnegan could only lead to bad things for his student.</p>
<p>Kakashi bowed his head. “I understand, Lady Hokage.”</p>
<p>Tsunade hummed in response. “Now then, I’m going to go with Shizune and see to some of the patients personally. Sakura, you take the day off. From what I’ve heard, you, Haku, and Ino have done a superb job in assisting Shizune. I’ll have to let them know that they should take today off as well.” Sakura gave her master a relieved smile and bowed her head. “Naruto, you’d best head off and start figuring out those eyes of yours. Just be careful, alright?” The older blonde said with a warm smile. Naruto nodded with his signature foxy grin before he replaced the sunglasses on his face. Team 7 bowed once more to the Hokage before setting off.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The sight of Training Ground 3 was a welcome one for the members of Team 7. It being just outside the village proper had left it untouched from Pain’s attack. Sasuke, Sakura, and a sunglasses-clad Naruto walked alongside their sensei towards the familiar stream, memories drifting back to them with each step. Their first bell test, the long hours of training before the Chūnin Exams, and the second bell test after Naruto and Sasuke’s return from their respective training trips had all taken place here.</p>
<p>The group came to a stop just shy of the banks of the stream. “Now then. Naruto, I know this might seem bothersome at first, but just trust me,” Kakashi began. Naruto gave a firm nod. “I’d like to start with basic chakra control exercises. We can’t be too sure how your Rinnegan has affected your chakra network since it wasn’t acquired through conventional means. First, try climbing one of the trees. If you make it to the top, head to the stream and walk on the water. If you find you’re able to walk on the water just fine, then try running on the water. Sasuke and I will be observing you with our Sharingan active to see if there’s anything unusual with your chakra. Sakura will be on standby in case something does happen. Go ahead when you’re ready,” Kakashi instructed as he lifted his headband to reveal his other eye.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a quick nod before jogging over to a decently sized tree as Kakashi and Sasuke activated their Sharingan, carefully observing Naruto’s chakra flow. Naruto channeled chakra into his feet and took one step, then another up the tree, climbing it with ease. After reaching the top, he jumped down and jogged towards the bank of the stream. He once again channeled chakra into his feet and took a step onto the surface of the water, finding himself able to walk with no problems. He started jogging back and forth over the water’s surface, going so far as to sprint and dodge as though he were dodging hits.</p>
<p>“What do you think so far, Sasuke?” The silver-haired jōnin prompted.</p>
<p>“Nothing out of the ordinary, from what I can tell. Are you seeing a slightly denser concentration of chakra around his eyes or is it just me?”</p>
<p>“No, I see it, too. It doesn’t seem like it’s a big drain on his chakra reserves, though. It almost seems like…” Kakashi trailed off.</p>
<p>“Like his body is adapting to it,” Sasuke finished. Kakashi hummed in acknowledgment.</p>
<p>Having felt like his chakra control was still where it was before, Naruto stepped off the water’s surface and jogged back towards his team. Kakashi and Sasuke examined the blond, looking for anything abnormal aside from the way his chakra was concentrating around his eyes.</p>
<p>“Well, looks like your basic chakra control is about where it was before. We’ll go over your elemental chakra after we get through some other things,” the copy ninja explained. “I want you to try and channel chakra into your eyes, like you’re trying to activate them.”</p>
<p>Naruto raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his sensei’s instruction. “But I thought you said I couldn’t turn the Rinnegan on and off like the Sharingan?”</p>
<p>“That’s true. Based on what Sasuke and I saw, it looks as though your chakra is passively concentrating around your eyes, which could account for your improved eyesight that you mentioned when you first woke up,” Kakashi explained. Naruto’s brows raised in realization. “However, what I’m referring to is <em>actively</em> channeling chakra into your eyes, similar to how I channel chakra into my Sharingan eye to take advantage of its abilities.”</p>
<p>Naruto absorbed the words of his sensei. He knew Kakashi’s Sharingan was a transplant, so it was different from Sasuke’s in that it technically couldn’t be turned off in the same way an Uchiha could turn it off. Naruto nodded, formed the Ram seal, and focused on channeling chakra into his eyes. He looked at his teammates and sensei and let out a yelp.</p>
<p>“Holy crap! Is that chakra?! I can see your chakra?!” The blond cried. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes were as wide as they could be, his face was contorted in an expression of horror and bewilderment. The now visible chakra looked like a blue fire raging beneath his team’s skins. He could see that chakra was concentrated around both of Sasuke’s eyes and Kakashi’s left eye, like what the two Sharingan users had described to him.</p>
<p>“Calm down, blockhead. Just stop actively channeling chakra to your eyes and you won’t be able to see ours,” the Uchiha heir explained with an exasperated sigh.</p>
<p>The blond heeded his teammate’s advice and cut the flow, his vision returning to normal. Naruto heaved a sigh of relief, wiping his forehead.</p>
<p>“Well, can you tell us what it looked like, Naruto?” Kakashi prompted. Naruto explained that he could see the concentrated chakra in Kakashi’s and Sasuke’s eyes as they mentioned, and how it was visible beneath their skin.</p>
<p>This time Sakura spoke up. “Were you able to see the full network with the tenketsu? Or just the chakra itself?”</p>
<p>“Just the chakra, it kinda looked like blue fire. Ya know, like how raw chakra looks,” Naruto explained.</p>
<p>Sakura nodded as Kakashi cleared his throat to get his blond student’s attention. “I know I told you to ease into training, but I’m curious; do you think you’d be able to spar with Sasuke, Naruto? Taijutsu only. It’s perfectly alright if you don’t feel up t—”</p>
<p>“Of course I’m up to it! I have to prove that my dōjutsu can be just as good as that duck-haired jerk!” Naruto squawked, cutting off Kakashi. The jōnin gave a nervous masked smile as Sakura groaned. Sasuke simply harrumphed as he strode over in front of his boisterous teammate before falling into his taijutsu stance, his Sharingan blazing.</p>
<p>Kakashi raised a hand to pause and address Naruto. “Try fighting while channeling chakra into your eyes. I’ll keep observing with my Sharingan to see how it changes things,” the silver-haired ninja instructed before he and Sakura put some distance between themselves and the two eager combatants. Kakashi raised his arm as Naruto channeled chakra into his Rinnegan, causing Sasuke to light up like a blue torch while the blond fell into his own taijutsu stance.</p>
<p>The two charged at each other as soon as Kakashi dropped his arm. Sasuke was fast. His first strike was a feint for Naruto’s face. The real attack came not a second later: a quick jab aimed at his unguarded midsection. The blond was already moving, parrying the jab with a knee aimed for Sasuke’s chest. The Uchiha quickly blocked with his free hand, halting Naruto’s momentum before narrowly dodging a blow from the blond aimed for his head.</p>
<p>Sasuke’s Sharingan gave him the ability to see everything as though it were in slow motion. Combined with his speed, he was nearly untouchable; this meant he could sneak jabs when openings presented themselves. The two pushed off each other, creating some distance. Sasuke eyed the blond, wondering how he was able to see his blow coming.</p>
<p>Naruto tried to contain his excitement. He knew just how fast Sasuke was, but he had seen his attack coming and blocked it; something he was hardly ever able to achieve. As soon as they charged each other, Naruto felt the world slow down. Sasuke’s normally blindingly fast movements had slowed considerably, giving Naruto time to react to the feint and block Sasuke’s attack.</p>
<p>The two charged head-on once more. Naruto’s right arm pulled back, ready to deliver a crushing punch. Sasuke let the attack barely miss him before he found his opening. He brought his fist upwards, gunning for Naruto’s solar plexus. Sasuke’s breath hitched as Naruto caught the fist meant to knock the wind out of him. The blond went for an uppercut, only for it to be caught by the Uchiha. Sasuke leaned backwards, positioning himself to smash both of his feet at Naruto’s chest. The blond grunted as the blow connected with a resounding thud, sending both flying from each other once again; Sasuke landing more gracefully than Naruto did.</p>
<p>Naruto grit his teeth as pain spiderwebbed from his sternum. Sasuke simply stood back, studying his teammate and opponent. Both panted as adrenaline coursed through their veins, their hearts pounding in their chests. The Uchiha was dumbfounded as to how Naruto was able to block another of his attacks, especially after telegraphing such a heavy first move. Naruto cursed under his breath at the fact that Sasuke was able to land that hit.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke barreled towards each other. Sasuke aimed a knee at Naruto’s thigh. This time, rather than block, Naruto took the hit, wincing as the blow connected. The blond swung right; Sasuke dodged the left hook, feeling knuckles graze the tip of his nose. The Uchiha aimed a punch at Naruto’s kidney. The blond saw it coming and parried, swinging his right fist at his opponent’s head. Sasuke ducked forward to avoid the hook. Suddenly, pain rang through his skull as Naruto smashed his head into Sasuke’s. The sickening crunch of the collision echoed through the combatants’ and spectators’ ears alike, eliciting a grunt from Sasuke and a wince from Sakura.</p>
<p>The rivals pushed off once more, both clutching their heads in a daze. Sasuke groaned as he got his bearings, while Naruto shook his head to make the stars he was seeing go away. They stood and glared at each other for a moment before dropping back into their respective taijutsu stances.</p>
<p>Fists clenched before the ninja launched themselves at each other. Dominant hands cocked back to deliver a final, decisive punch. A roar erupted from both as they closed the distance. They anticipated their blows connecting with the other’s head, only for their fists to be caught by their silver-haired sensei. The opponents screeched to a halt, each staring at their jōnin sensei, dumbstruck.</p>
<p>“I think that’s enough,” Kakashi stated flatly. Sasuke’s blazing crimson eyes faded back to onyx, while Naruto cut the chakra flow to his own concealed eyes. Kakashi released their fists after the two chūnin visibly relaxed, lowering his headband to cover his Sharingan eye.</p>
<p>“Not bad, whiskers,” Sasuke praised with a smirk.</p>
<p>Naruto shot a scowl that was chased by his own smirk. “Not bad yourself, slowpoke,” he sneered. Sasuke only scoffed at Naruto’s jab.</p>
<p>“It was definitely interesting watching the two of you spar,” Kakashi began before turning to Naruto, his tone even. “I had expected your Rinnegan to enhance your perception, but keeping up with a Sharingan user was surprising, to say the least.”</p>
<p>Sakura jogged towards her team, immediately looking over her teammates for any serious injuries. “Neither of you broke anything, did you?” She prompted. Naruto and Sasuke shook their heads as Sakura let out a small sigh of relief. Her teammate’s spars could get intense, even for those that were watching. Their rivalry was such that it hindered their ability to hold back during their matches. While it made for effective training, one or both often walked away with something broken, fractured, dislocated, bleeding, or badly bruised. Naruto had joked that it was practical exercises for her medical ninjutsu; a remark that had earned him a smack to the back of the head.</p>
<p>“I might not have a Sharingan, but from the sidelines, it was impressive watching you two duke it out,” Sakura said, a proud smile tugging at her mouth. “Naruto really gave Sasuke a run for his money, especially with that headbutt,” the kunoichi pointed out. Naruto beamed at the praise from his pink-haired teammate.</p>
<p>Sasuke let out an exasperated sigh. “Yeah, I gotta hand it to you, blockhead. You really surprised me when you blocked that first jab. Also, that headbutt hurt, jerk,” he admitted, muttering the last few words. Naruto gave a foxy grin before Kakashi spoke up.</p>
<p>“There’s something else I think would be worth trying. Try creating a few shadow clones,” he instructed.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a quick nod before throwing his hands into the familiar hand seal. Three shadow clones popped into existence in clouds of smoke, clad in the same orange and black jumpsuit and sunglasses as the original. Naruto and his copies immediately started stumbling, as though they had lost their sense of balance. The shadow clones disappeared in puffs of smoke as Naruto fell onto his behind, dazed.</p>
<p>The blond ninja groaned. “Okay, ow. But also, what the hell?”</p>
<p>Kakashi raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “What happened?”</p>
<p>“I have no idea. Once my shadow clones appeared, it was like I could see what they were seeing. Except I saw everything at once,” Naruto explained, rubbing his temples.</p>
<p>Kakashi raised a hand to his chin. “Interesting. It seems that the shared field of vision that Pain had with his bodies is present with your shadow clones.”</p>
<p>Naruto considered his sensei’s words as he felt the throbbing pain begin to subside. “I guess that makes sense, since I don’t have those bodies like he did,” he reasoned aloud before a realization hit him. “Wait a second, this means I won’t be able to use shadow clones to learn stuff faster!”</p>
<p>The jōnin shrugged, offering his student a sympathetic expression. “I’m afraid not. It seems that’s one of the unintended tradeoffs. But, you have quite a strong work ethic, so I have complete faith that you’ll make up for the lack of ability to use shadow clones to learn jutsu,” he placated. Naruto pouted, grumbling about his secret technique being ruined by his eyes. “That, or, you’ll find a way to work around it,” the silver haired jōnin offered, his eye crinkling in its distinctive manner. His students returned the expression, Naruto offering his signature toothy grin.</p>
<p>Naruto rose to his feet, scratching the back of his head pensively. “I guess the first step would be to figure out how to use my shadow clones with this whole shared field of vision,” he thought aloud. Kakashi nodded sagely.</p>
<p>“I’ll keep helping you with matters regarding ninjutsu and chakra manipulation. I think Sasuke would be a great sparring partner, and can help improve your taijutsu, given that both your dōjutsu give you enhanced perceptive abilities. Since Sakura will be busy in the coming days assisting Lady Tsunade and Shizune, we’ll need to hold off on including her in your specific training,” he explained, noticing the kunoichi’s face drop slightly. “But, I do have something in store that involves her Kekkei Genkai,” he offered with a light tone, causing Sakura’s eyes to snap to her sensei, a smile spreading across her face.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave his students a masked smile. “Now then, I think that’s enough for today. Naruto, you’re free to do some individual training with your shadow clones and getting used to the shared field of vision, but don’t overdo it. We don’t know how that will affect you just yet,” he advised. Naruto nodded. “Great, let’s try and meet tomorrow at 9am. I’m off to help oversee construction of the Hokage Tower.” With that, Kakashi left with a wave of his hand and a swirl of leaves.</p>
<p>Naruto had elected to stay behind, determined to acclimate himself to at least one clone’s shared field of vision. He reassured his teammates that they could head back home to relax, but they refused to leave him by himself. Sakura cited that he would need her should something happen, since she was a medic. Sasuke had teased that the blond needed a babysitter, which made Naruto scowl while Sakura giggled.</p>
<p>Sasuke and Sakura mostly observed, offering suggestions here and there to their teammate. Sasuke broke the news to the pink haired kunoichi that he moved in with Naruto, giving her the same explanation for his decision that he gave his new roommate the first time. Sakura squealed with joy, causing Sasuke to turn as red as the tomatoes he so enjoyed. Naruto’s focus broke momentarily, but he remained vigilant in his quest to master one aspect of his Rinnegan.</p>
<p>Team 7 remained at the training ground until sunset, parting ways at the midpoint between Sakura’s apartment and Sasuke and Naruto’s. Sakura felt like her day off was well spent. It had been awhile since she had gotten a chance to spend time with her friends, particularly to sit and talk with Sasuke. She had been impressed with how well Naruto had done in his spar against Sasuke and found herself in awe of his work ethic. She and Sasuke had lost count of how many times Naruto had created a single shadow clone. Eventually he was able to hold it and keep it from dispersing immediately, but he was still getting used to simultaneously seeing what his clone saw on top of what he saw. It was disorienting, to say the least. Sasuke had been impressed that Naruto had progressed as much as he did in just a few hours; a true testament to his resolve. The two young men discussed their options for refining Naruto’s taijutsu further over a dinner of miso soup. The Uzumaki had whined about the lack of ramen, but he secretly enjoyed Sasuke’s cooking, and the miso soup was tasty. Though, he found Sasuke’s side dish of tomatoes to be a bit odd. Sasuke vehemently insisted that his roommate simply didn’t understand.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sharingan versus Rinnegan! Sasuke versus Naruto! Thanks for reading; I'll try sticking to updating weekly. If I don't update after exactly one week: fret not! It just means there's more work to be done to make the chapter better! Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmarks if you loved it, and feel free to leave a comment! (I love reading comments, so don't be shy!) Thanks again for reading! Chapter 6 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Leap of Faith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An unexpected arrival in Konoha causes a bit of a stir.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A wild 6th chapter appears! Just want to take a moment and thank everyone for the kudos and bookmarks this fic has gotten. To be honest, I never expected much in terms of a positive turnout, so I'm super glad that you all are enjoying it so far!</p><p>I don't own Naruto, Kishimoto does.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasuke was up before Naruto this morning, preparing a breakfast of eggs over rice with miso soup. Now that the two were roommates, Sasuke swore he would break his friend’s habit of eating ramen for every meal, even if he had to do so while Naruto kicked and screamed. There would undoubtedly be some whining from the blond about the lack of instant ramen, but Sasuke knew that Naruto enjoyed his miso soup, even if he didn’t admit it. It had taken Sasuke a good number of attempts before he was able to make miso soup like his mother had. It wasn’t quite the same, nor would it ever be, but he liked to think of it as a faithful recreation; one that reminded him of her warmth.</p><p>Naruto emerged from his room donning his usual black and orange tracksuit, stifling a yawn. He sleepily looked over the spread that was on the table, a small frown marring his face. “What, no ramen?”</p><p>Sasuke shook his head as he set down Naruto’s bowl of soup. “Nope. You’re going to start eating like a normal person for both of our sakes,” the Uchiha answered plainly. Naruto crossed his arms and pouted, making Sasuke roll his eyes. “Oh, come on, you big baby. Look, there’s even miso soup. I <em>know</em> you like my miso soup.” Sasuke smirked as he raised his eyebrows suggestively.</p><p>“Like hell I do!” Naruto fumed.</p><p>“Oh? Is that why you cleaned your bowl last night?” Sasuke raised an eyebrow.</p><p>“I was hungry from training!”</p><p>“You went and got seconds.”</p><p>“I have a big appetite and you know it, <em>saucepan.</em>” The blond spat.</p><p>Sasuke’s eye twitched before he crossed his arms in a huff. “Regardless. This is a hell of a lot better for you than instant ramen.” With that, he sat down and brought his hands together, offering his gratitude for the meal.</p><p>Naruto grumbled before sitting across from his roommate and doing the same. The two cracked their eggs over their rice, mixing it with chopsticks and digging in. As he was eating, he noticed that Sasuke had given him a sweet umeboshi as a dessert, while Sasuke had a small grape tomato. The blond smiled to himself; Sasuke’s love of tomatoes wasn’t unlike Naruto’s love of ramen. The two ate in comfortable silence before setting out to their training ground.</p><hr/><p>For all the years that Kakashi had been the leader and sensei of Team 7, he never seemed to break his habit of arriving late. Naruto and Sasuke sat against a tree, enjoying the cool shade it offered. Naruto was sharpening one of his kunai, while Sasuke was watching and listening for birds, as well as any sign of their sensei’s arrival.</p><p>Naruto groaned. “For crying out loud! It’s been two hours since Kakashi-sensei was supposed to show up.”</p><p>Sasuke hummed in acknowledgment. “Would you expect anything less of him? He’s been this way since we were genin.”</p><p>Naruto grumbled in reluctant agreement before he sprang to his feet. “I’m gonna practice using my shadow clones. I was close to being able to use one yesterday.”</p><p>“Just don’t push yourself. Sakura’s busy helping Lady Tsunade and the other medics today, so she won’t be able to bail you out if you hurt yourself,” the Uchiha cautioned, shifting to keep an eye on his teammate.</p><p>The orange-clad ninja threw his hands into the cross seal as a copy of him popped into existence. Both Narutos stumbled before they regained their footing. “Hey! I’m doing it! I can see what my clone sees!” He cheered.</p><p>Sasuke gave a small smile. “Nice job,” he congratulated before bringing a hand to his chin for a moment. “Hm. See if you can move the clone further away from you. Or better yet, move it behind you. You could have a 360-degree field of vision that way.”</p><p>Naruto considered his friend’s advice, nodding in agreement after a quick pause. The shadow clone moved behind Naruto, eliciting an overjoyed cackle from the Uzumaki. “Holy shit! This is so cool! I can see in front and behind me at the same time!” Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle at the genuine excitement radiating from his friend.</p><p>“See if you can make one more clone,” the Uchiha called. Naruto nodded, his smile never leaving his face as he formed the cross seal once more. Another copy of Naruto appeared, causing the original and the newly made clone to stumble; the first clone was surprisingly unmoving. The two quickly regained their bearings, causing Naruto to cheer loudly once more. Naruto’s mouth was pulled into an ear to ear smile, his eyes crinkling beneath his sunglasses. “This is amazing! I can see three points of view at once! Nobody will be able to sneak up on me at this rate!”</p><p>Sasuke rose, walking over towards the blond ninja and his copies. “Alright, move your clones so you’re standing in a triangle facing away from each other, and tell me if you can see me. I’m gonna walk in a circle around you.” Naruto gave a quick nod as Sasuke began walking.</p><p>Excitement welled up within the Rinnegan bearer; Sasuke never left his sight, quite literally. As soon as he stepped out of view of one set of eyes, he came into view of another. His heart pounded against his chest at the exhilarating feeling of having honed one of his dōjutsu’s abilities.</p><p>“So, were you able to see me?” Sasuke asked as he stepped away. The original Naruto nodded with a face-splitting smile. Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle as the shadow clones dispelled in puffs of smoke.</p><p>Their celebration was cut short by an ANBU ninja appearing in front of Naruto. The blond ninja stumbled back with a yelp, while Sasuke flinched at the sudden appearance. The Uchiha was perceptive and considered himself hard to get the drop on, but ANBU had a way of flying under the radar. Naruto always said that ANBU gave him the creeps because of their masks and the way they talked.</p><p>“Naruto Uzumaki. Your presence is urgently requested by the Hokage. Come with me,” the masked man recited. Naruto eyed the ANBU dubiously before giving a nod. He gestured to Sasuke to come with him. Just as Sasuke took a step, the ANBU held up his hand, stopping Sasuke in his tracks. “I’m afraid the only one I was instructed to retrieve was Naruto. You’ll have to stay behind, Master Uchiha.”</p><p>Naruto glared at the ANBU, his eyes boring holes through his sunglasses and the porcelain-colored mask. “Either Sasuke comes with me or I’m not going with you,” he growled. The ANBU considered his options. He didn’t want to have to use force, so he yielded to the blond ninja’s demand.</p><p>“Very well, he can come as far as the Hokage will allow. Understand that there may be consequences if he oversteps any boundaries,” he stated dryly. Naruto and Sasuke both nodded before they set off with body flickers.</p><hr/><p>The two chūnin were led to the same entrance beneath the First Hokage’s stone face. Sasuke was hassled about why he was there when Naruto was the one summoned, but was granted passage once Naruto staked his claim that he would go no further without his friend. They were once again led through stone corridors, though this time they were taken even deeper into the complex.</p><p>Tsunade was waiting just beside another heavy metal door, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. She threw a scowl at Naruto’s direction, causing both him and Sasuke to visibly flinch.</p><p>“You. First, why is the Uchiha here?” She barked.</p><p>Naruto raised his hands in a placating gesture, knowing full well what the consequences would be if he further irritated the woman. “I just figured if it’s important, he ought to be here, too.”</p><p>Tsunade glowered at the two of them. Sasuke’s mouth was drawn into a tight line, while Naruto forced a smile; sweat beaded on both of their foreheads, the air thick with tension. Tsunade considered the implications of having the Uchiha heir present. True, he was technically a clan head, but he was still young. On the other hand, he was one of the people closest to Naruto, who was the reason for this whole snafu she’d been dealing with in the first place.</p><p>Tsunade pointed a finger at Sasuke. “You can come in. <em>But, </em>you’re a fly on the wall. If I hear so much as a peep out of you…” the older blond cracked her knuckles to drive her point home. Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded quickly.</p><p>“And you. You’d better have a damn good explanation for what’s behind this door, brat,” She growled. Naruto’s brow furrowed as he cocked his head. Tsunade simply gestured to one of the ANBU guarding the door. The masked ninja applied chakra to the seal that locked the door, the hinges groaning in protest as it swung open. Tsunade ushered the two chūnin inside before the door shut behind them with a clang.</p><p>Naruto blanched as he beheld a familiar head of pale blue hair, decorated by a single periwinkle paper rose. Her cloak was folded on the back of the chair she was sitting on, revealing a near skin-tight, sleeveless top. The zipper ended around the bottom of her sternum, flaring open and exposing some of her midriff, framing the four piercings surrounding her navel. They seemed to match her labret piercing’s color and style. Her hands lay folded on the metal table; nails painted the same shade of amber as her eyes. They were duller than he remembered, reflecting the exhaustion that she wore on her face. A chakra suppression seal adorned her forehead, preventing her from escaping or attempting anything rash. Both Naruto and Sasuke were taken aback at just how beautiful she was.</p><p>“You wouldn’t be able to tell me why this <em>member of the Akatsuki</em> showed up at the main gate looking for you, would you, brat?” Tsunade interrogated, a vein on her forehead bulging. Naruto winced before he shook his head, avoiding the Hokage’s intense gaze, but still feeling the holes she was boring into his head. He turned to look at the woman from Amegakure.</p><p>“I remember you. Konan, why are you here?” He prompted, sitting in the chair across from her.</p><p>“So you <em>do</em> know this woman!” Tsunade shouted.</p><p>Naruto flinched and nodded. “I…met her after my fight with Pain. It’s a little complicated, Granny. I’ll explain it later,” he assured. Tsunade huffed before reluctantly nodding. He felt guilty not telling the Hokage everything at that moment, but he didn’t want to further incriminate Konan; he also wanted answers. He returned his focus back to the blue-haired woman in front of him.</p><p>“First of all, I’m no longer with the Akatsuki. Second, I was looking for you,” she stated, her voice slightly hoarse.</p><p>Naruto sighed. “I gather that you were looking for me, but why?”</p><p>The woman’s head dropped slightly, her hair falling to frame her face. “Nagato asked me to find you,” she said with a hint of sadness.</p><p>The room fell dead silent at her claim. “Nagato asked you to? But…why?” The blond asked.</p><p>“Because of your eyes, Naruto,” Konan answered, her voice barely above a whisper. Naruto’s eyes widened as he stared at the blue-haired woman, taking in a sharp breath. Sasuke stared at her incredulously, while Tsunade cocked an eyebrow, leaning against one of the walls next to Sasuke.</p><p>“You…you…know about m-my eyes?” He stammered. Naruto struggled to sort through the mélange of emotions he was feeling. He remembered the story that Nagato had told him about how he came to meet Konan and Yahiko. He knew what it felt like to be alone, but he was lucky that he never knew true hunger the way Nagato had. Neither had he known the horrors of war, much less watching your parents die in front of you the way he had. Not even Sasuke knew that pain; he had found them dead. Despite the common ground between them, Naruto felt  resentment towards Konan. She was a member of the organization that had kidnapped his friend, murdered his master and Shikamaru’s sensei, and destroyed his village.</p><p>Worse still was the fact that she somehow knew about his Rinnegan, something that was meant to be an S-class secret. Yet, some small voice in him told him to try to let the past go; to try and see the good and forgive her, even forgive Nagato. He set those thoughts aside, trying to focus on the moment at hand. He needed answers.</p><p>“How…do you know about my eyes?” He questioned softly.</p><p>Konan raised her head, meeting the blank gaze of Naruto’s sunglasses with her own soft amber eyes. “Do you remember what Nagato told you?” Sasuke and Tsunade’s ears perked up, hanging onto Konan’s every word.</p><p>Naruto’s mouth tightened into a thin line as he swallowed. “He…said that I could bring about peace in his place…”</p><p>The azure-haired woman gave a small nod. “He gave you those eyes to help you do so,” she said gently.</p><p>Naruto stiffened as his breath hitched. Tsunade’s brow furrowed as Sasuke’s jaw went slack. All eyes were glued to Konan, who maintained a soft gaze on the stupefied blond sitting across from her.</p><p>“Wh-what are you talking about? What do you mean he gave me these eyes?” Naruto asked, fighting to keep his voice from quivering. His stomach was doing somersaults, his heartbeat pounded in his ears. <em>‘Looks like Kakashi-sensei might have been right…’ </em>he thought.</p><p>Konan averted her gaze, focusing on her hands. A sigh escaped her lips as she spoke quietly. “Before he died, Nagato said he wanted you to have his eyes. He sensed something was coming, and he…” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “He asked me…to help give you his eyes,” she finished as she tried to maintain her composure.</p><p>Tsunade stepped forward as Naruto gaped at the woman. “Are you meaning to say that you were the one who replaced his eyes with the Rinnegan?” Amber met honey as Konan looked Tsunade in the eye before nodding. The Hokage stared at the blue-haired woman, trying her best to maintain her poker face as realization crept into her thoughts. “Then that must explain how he—" Tsunade was cut off by Naruto pointing at Konan, eyes ablaze beneath his sunglasses.</p><p>“Wait just a damn minute! You mean you <em>took my eyes out </em>and just…<em>replaced</em> them?!” He cried, his hand trembling. Konan’s poker face was even better than Tsunade’s; her expression was unreadable as she nodded. Naruto noticed her eyes had softened as she looked at him, making him relax back into his chair. He was beginning to piece together what had happened after he blacked out. “You knocked me unconscious, didn’t you?” Konan gave a single, quick nod. Naruto leaned forward, resting his cheek on a fist, the other hand palming his forehead.</p><p>The blond ninja stared at nothing in particular, lost in thought. On the one hand, he felt a sense of appreciation to Nagato for trusting him with such a powerful dōjutsu (his own eyes, no less), and for believing that he could do what the redhead and his friends had originally set out to do. On the other hand, he hadn’t asked for any of this. He hadn’t asked for Nagato’s Rinnegan, hadn’t asked to carry the mantle of responsibility of bringing peace to the world. It felt comparable to his burden of being a jinchūriki; the latter had had the greatest effect on his life up to this point, but being the third known bearer of the Rinnegan was a close second. He inwardly chuckled at the irony of not having a choice in either matter, though he reckoned having a powerful and legendary dōjutsu essentially gifted to you was better than having a tailed beast sealed into you the same day you were born.</p><p>He was brought out of his rumination by Konan’s voice. “Naruto, I don’t expect you to fully trust me when your village doesn’t trust me. But as I told the ANBU and your Hokage: I come here with no malice. I’m only trying to honor Nagato’s wishes. I’m here…” she took a deep breath. “To help you train your Rinnegan.”</p><p>Naruto stared at the woman, as did Tsunade and Sasuke, all with an unreadable expression. The blond chūnin sighed as he removed his sunglasses, looking Konan in her amber eyes with his purple rippled ones. She gasped quietly at the sight; she had expected him to make a full recovery, given the prowess of Tsunade and her protégés, but seeing Nagato’s eyes in the blond in person was jarring. Naruto took a deep breath.</p><p>“Konan, if I’m being honest, I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you. The fact that I had no say in whether or not I had my eyes removed and replaced by Nagato’s Rinnegan is a bit…upsetting.” Konan hung her head slightly, knowing full well that knocking him unconscious to perform an essentially forced field surgery was dirty, even for her. “But I think I’m beginning to understand just how, uh, important these eyes are. I’m pretty sure Nagato wouldn’t have trusted these to me if he didn’t believe in me, and the fact that he asked you to find me after the fact is proof of that, too.” He shut his eyes, choosing his next words before opening his purple orbs slowly. “That being said, I’m willing to take a leap of faith and accept your help, provided that Granny here agrees as well,” he said, pointing to the buxom woman with his thumb. Tsunade let out an irritated growl at the use of his nickname for her.</p><p>Konan’s heart skipped a beat as she let out a bated breath, thanking him silently with a small smile. She and Naruto turned to the Hokage, each with a pleading gaze. The twin-tailed blonde crossed her arms, eyes darting between the two.</p><p>Sasuke leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Lady Tsunade, I think this would be a safe bet to make. She <em>was </em>the one who was closest to Nagato, who was the one controlling Pain with the Rinnegan, after all.”</p><p>Tsunade threw a scowl at the Uchiha before she hummed in acknowledgment of his advice, raising a hand to her chin. He did have a point, after all. As problematic as it would be to have a former high-ranking Akatsuki member in the village, Sasuke did raise an important point: she had seen the Rinnegan in use for longer than anyone she knew besides Jiraiya. She contemplated the consequences of her potential decisions.</p><p>On one hand, this woman could prove to be a valuable asset, and not just when it came to helping Naruto. She could give insider information about the Akatsuki and their members: veritable dossiers that would normally have required Jiraiya’s spy network to sniff out. She could also make a fine Konoha shinobi one day; though that was something of a pipe dream for now.</p><p>On the other hand, her status as a former high-ranking Akatsuki member could be a double-edged sword. As an S-ranked criminal, there would be no way of knowing whether she had something malicious planned, like espionage or full-on sabotage from within. There was also the matter of the council. Or rather, specific members of the council, that she would have to deal with. She grimaced internally at the thought of having to explain herself to Homura and Koharu. Danzō would be another matter, and not one she wanted to think about.</p><p>Tsunade sighed before speaking in a serious manner. “Fine. She can stay and help you. But she’ll need to undergo an examination by T&amp;I before she’s cleared.” Konan breathed a sigh of relief while Naruto simply nodded with a small smile. Both bowed their heads, thanking the Hokage.</p><p>“A few housekeeping things: firstly, unless you’re with Kakashi, you’ll be under ANBU observation at all times and you won’t be allowed to set foot outside the village save for the training grounds. Additionally, I expect you to tell me everything you know about the Akatsuki and its members. And I mean <em>everything</em>. If you don’t, I have people who can extract that information out of you through various means, if need be.” Konan swallowed at the prospect of being tortured for failure to comply. She nodded quickly before Tsunade continued. “You’ll be on probation for three months, provided you maintain good behavior, during which time you’ll be evaluated by T&amp;I to make sure you’re not planning anything suspicious. After that time, we’ll consider your future here, should you choose to stay for longer.”</p><p>The Ame woman nodded in understanding. “I understand, Lady Hokage. Thank you for giving me this opportunity,” she said with another bow of her head.</p><p>Tsunade huffed. “You’re just lucky that brat has faith in you. Now come on, there’s someone you should meet before your first psych evaluation.” Naruto and Sasuke both raised an eyebrow at the Hokage’s statement. The buxom woman thumbed the seal on the door to unlock it as Naruto replaced his sunglasses and Konan retrieved her folded cloak, both rising from their chairs to follow behind Tsunade and Sasuke. The door opened with a metallic groan, revealing an expectant Kakashi, whose nose was in the copy of Icha Icha Tactics that Naruto had given him.</p><p>The masked jōnin shut his book and regarded the Hokage and his students before resting his eye on the head of blue hair beside Naruto. Kakashi normally wasn’t one to be caught off guard, especially not when it came to beautiful women. Yet, for a fleeting moment, his stoic façade had cracked, and a light blush adorned the top of his visible cheek as his eye wandered over her and her azure hair. He cleared his throat, regaining his composure as he addressed his Hokage.</p><p>“Lady Tsunade. Is this who you wanted me to see?”</p><p>The twin-tailed blonde nodded, gesturing for Konan to step forward.</p><p>Konan was the first to bow. “Konan,” she said plainly.</p><p>“…Kakashi Hatake,” he replied after hesitating for a moment, returning the bow.</p><p>“She will be assisting Naruto in honing his abilities,” the Hokage stated.</p><p>Kakashi raised an eyebrow, glancing between Tsunade and Naruto. The latter wore a sheepish expression, while the former gave him a look that told him she would explain in detail later.</p><p>“Alright, brat. You’re dismissed for now. I’ll summon you again if I need you,” Tsunade said before turning to Konan. “Let’s go.” Konan nodded as she was led down the hallway by the Hokage, two ANBU following her closely behind as Naruto watched after the group. He turned to Sasuke and his sensei.</p><p>“Well then. What do you say we get a little bit of training in?” Kakashi asked, smiling beneath his mask. Naruto returned the smile with a quick nod before the trio set out once more for their training ground.</p><hr/><p>The sun had crept just past its high point by the time the men of Team 7 had arrived at their training ground. Kakashi knew that he didn’t have as much time as he would have liked to train Naruto, especially given the day’s events, but he wanted to at least check on his progress.</p><p>“So, Naruto, how has the Shadow Clone Jutsu been coming?” The jōnin prompted. Naruto gave a toothy grin before his hands flew into the cross hand seal and two copies of himself appeared in puffs of smoke, each standing with their arms crossed. Kakashi studied the shadow clones, who were all standing straight with no sign of stumbling, humming in acknowledgement. “Nice work. Can you see what they see?”</p><p>All three Narutos nodded before one spoke. “You bet! It was a kinda hard at first, but I started with just one clone and worked my way up to three, so now I can see—” a kunai flying in from what would be his blind spot cut the statement short, but was easily dodged by the blond shinobi. “What my clones see. Check it out!” The two copies of Naruto arranged themselves in a triangle with the original, all facing away from the center. This time Sasuke threw a shuriken, aiming for a Naruto that wouldn’t see it coming, only for his target to duck as the weapon whizzed past. Said target turned and gave his sensei a foxy grin as his clones disappeared in clouds of smoke.</p><p>Kakashi smiled beneath his mask at his blond student. “Very good. The next step from here would be to fight with this expanded field of vision, adding more clones later. Though, I wouldn’t create too many at once unless you find some way to cut the links after a certain number. It could overload your senses if you have too many sets of eyes,” the silver-haired jōnin explained sagely.</p><p>Naruto scratched his cheek, considering the ramifications of having fifty or a hundred shadow clones active with this new ability. There had to be a way to get his shadow clones to behave like before, rather than as a facsimile of Pain’s bodies.</p><p>“I wonder. Maybe if you focus on making the clone’s vision separate from yours, then that could cut the link?” Sasuke offered. Naruto and Kakashi cupped their chins in thought before Kakashi nodded.</p><p>“That could work. Give it a shot, Naruto,” the jōnin encouraged.</p><p>Naruto clapped his hand against his fist, giving a nod before he formed the familiar hand seal. He focused on making the clones more independent of him, particularly on severing the link between his and the clones’ eyes. A single shadow clone appeared in the usual plume of smoke. The original Naruto turned and examined his doppelganger, a smile stretching across his face. Naruto thrust a fist into the air, whooping with glee.</p><p>“Hell yeah! I did it! I cut the link! All I see is what I see!” The shadow clone joined in on the raucous cheering, realizing that its sense of sight wasn’t being intruded upon by his conjurer. Wanting to test the limits, Naruto threw his hands together and summoned twelve other shadow clones. The original Naruto cheered again at his success in maintaining the severed visual link.</p><p>“Finally! I have my shadow clones back! Now I just need to try the Rasengan again!” Naruto dispelled all but one clone. Just as he was getting into position to try and form the jutsu made famous by his father, Kakashi raised a hand to stop him. Naruto and his copy froze as their heads snapped to the jōnin; perplexed expressions plastered to their face. Kakashi responded in kind with his usual half-lidded gaze.</p><p>“What gives, sensei?” The orange-clad ninja demanded as his shadow clone dispelled in a puff of smoke. Even Sasuke turned to Kakashi, his brow raised quizzically.</p><p>“While I fully support you testing to make sure you can still perform the Rasengan, I think we ought to discuss today’s…events, along with how your training will proceed,” the jōnin stated. Naruto let out an exasperated sigh as he trudged closer to his sensei and his friend.</p><p>Kakashi’s eye crinkled in a smile before returning to its normal half-lidded state. “While Lady Tsunade hasn’t filled me in on the details of what that woman--Konan, I think her name was--will be doing to assist you in ‘honing your abilities,’” he began, forming air quotes with the last phrase. “I plan to be present when she does so. I’m sure the Hokage will reinforce that when she briefs me on the conditions of her helping you. As far as your training goes; as I stated before, I’ll continue helping you as much as I can to refine your chakra manipulation and control. I can also try to teach you one or two basic wind jutsu, but as far as your dōjutsu goes, the most I can offer is advice as a Sharingan user. Once you feel you have better control of your shadow clones and that ability, I think spars to test that ability are in order,” he finished, gesturing towards the Uchiha. The two nodded before Sasuke put a hand to his chin.</p><p>“Sensei, do you think I could check the Uchiha archives to see if there’s anything that could help Naruto?” The jōnin considered Sasuke’s request before nodding.</p><p>“I think that would be a great idea. You might want to consult Lady Tsunade first, as I’m not sure whether the archives are sealed or not. If you can get a hold of anything, I think it would be beneficial to the both of you,” he said with a masked smile. “Now, I really wish we could continue, but I’d better check in with the Hokage. Naruto, if you want, you can try to form the Rasengan on your own but <em>be careful.</em> We still don’t know for sure if or how your Rinnegan will affect your ability to manipulate chakra,” he finished.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure fishcake here doesn’t hurt himself,” the Uchiha sneered. Naruto’s eye twitched at the nickname.</p><p>Kakashi chuckled at their antics. “Let’s meet here again tomorrow morning. Same time: 9 AM. See you guys then.” With a wave of his hand, he once again disappeared in a swirl of leaves.</p><p>Naruto and Sasuke both grumbled about their sensei’s constant tardiness. Naruto quickly created a shadow clone, channeling chakra into his hand while the clone helped him shape it. A smile stretched across his whisker-marked face as a swirling ball of chakra appeared in his palm, stabilized by his shadow clone. Sasuke smiled inwardly at his friend’s success thus far. <em>‘It’s a wonder he wasn’t considered a prodigy back at the academy,’ </em>he mused to himself.</p><p>Naruto pumped more chakra into the swirling orb in an effort to increase its size. He felt it expand, just like he wanted. Without warning, he felt his control of the jutsu slip. His clone tried to hold the shape, but to no avail. Said clone was dispelled and Naruto was thrown onto his backside with a shriek as the ball of chakra exploded. Sasuke shielded his face from the shockwave before his brow furrowed and his head tilted to the side.</p><p>“The fuck was that?!” The blond yelped. “I had it! You saw! I had it and it exploded! That’s never happened before!”</p><p>Sasuke merely shrugged. “Try again, maybe it was just some weirdness with your Rinnegan or something. Kakashi-sensei did mention that it could affect your manipulation,” he offered as Naruto rose to his feet, grumbling as he dusted himself off.</p><p>The orange-clad shinobi created another shadow clone that positioned itself next to him. He focused his chakra in his palm again, this time focusing even more intently on maintaining the shape. The familiar swirling blue ball appeared once more, and relief washed over the blond. He added more chakra, increasing the size of the jutsu. The shadow clone was hell-bent on keeping it stable, so much so that sweat beaded on its forehead. Sasuke watched with his Sharingan active to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. When he saw nothing unusual, his eyes returned to normal. Naruto smiled and laughed as he felt himself keeping control of the Rasengan like he did before the Rinnegan came unto him.</p><p>Naruto dispelled the clone as he charged forward, slamming the swirling ball of chakra into a tree. “Rasengan!” He yelled as wood splintered and flew in a cone around him. By the time the destructive orb dissipated, the tree bore a swirl-shaped scar on its trunk. Sasuke walked over to inspect the damage, remembering the countless times he had heard Naruto slam it into various tree trunks around the training ground. A small smile tugged at the Uchiha’s mouth, admiring how quickly he was adapting to his new circumstances in true Naruto fashion.</p><p>Sasuke noticed the sun had crept further into the west, and sunset would be upon them soon.</p><p>“Yo, blondie, let’s go. The sun’s gonna set soon,” Sasuke called.</p><p>Naruto turned on his heel, following his roommate. By the time they got back to the apartment, it would surely be time for dinner. Naruto felt his stomach growl as he thought of what Sasuke would likely make for them. He knew it probably wouldn’t be ramen, but he had to admit, the Uchiha made some damn good miso soup. It made Naruto wonder just what else he could cook.</p><hr/><p>The two friends-turned-roommates walked through the village, noting how quickly things were coming together. More buildings had been painted or been coated in stucco or plaster. Some were even covered in tile or concrete. The village was beginning to look like home again.</p><p>They shared a comfortable silence as they entered their apartment and cleaned themselves up before preparing dinner. Naruto, expecting miso soup, was surprised to smell what Sasuke was cooking: curry. The two set the table and sat down to eat after offering their gratitude for the meal.</p><p>“So, you gonna tell me how you know that woman from the Akatsuki?” Sasuke probed, taking a bite of rice.</p><p>Naruto sighed as he chewed on a bite of curry. “Well, I met her when I found the guy who was controlling Pain.”</p><p>“Nagato?”</p><p>Naruto nodded. “Yeah, Nagato. He told me the story of how he met Konan and this guy named Yahiko. It was kinda…surreal in a way.”</p><p>“Whaddaya mean surreal?”</p><p>“The way he talked about them, it kinda reminded me of how we are with each other and Sakura,” the blond explained.</p><p>“We’re not S-rank criminals, though,” Sasuke deadpanned.</p><p>Naruto snorted. “Of course not. But you get what I mean, right?”</p><p>Sasuke nodded as he chewed on a grape tomato. “They became family to each other, you mean?”</p><p>“Yeah, exactly,” Naruto answered as he took a sip of tea.</p><p>Sasuke eyed his roommate carefully. “Hey, are you…sure you want a former member of the Akatsuki around? It seems a little sketchy, even for us.”</p><p>Naruto sighed, meeting Sasuke’s onyx gaze with his intense muted purple one. “I know. But something tells me I should at least give her a chance. I doubt she would come all the way from Amegakure after the death of her best friend just to try and hit us from the inside. Besides, even if it was a covert op or something, Granny’s got a nose that knows.”</p><p>Sasuke took another bite of curry, processing what his roommate had said. Naruto had a point, unless you were unhinged like he had been at one point, coming all the way from another hidden village to attack one of the Five Greats by yourself was desperate at best.</p><p>The Uchiha shrugged as he took a sip of tea. “I guess you have a point. You’re not exactly a bad judge of character either, so I’ll trust your judgment on this one.”</p><p>Naruto smiled as he enjoyed more of the food Sasuke had made. “Ya know, I’m not usually one for curry—”</p><p>“Or anything that isn’t ramen, for that matter,” Sasuke interrupted, making Naruto groan.</p><p>“Come on, man, I’m trying to compliment your cooking.” Naruto feigned a hurt expression.</p><p>Sasuke merely shrugged, chuckling. “You know it’s true. But thanks. I figured we would have something other than miso soup since we had it for dinner yesterday and breakfast this morning.”</p><p>Naruto nodded as he took another bite, savoring the moderately spiced curry. “Wonder how Sakura’s doing. Or even Haku and Ino, for that matter. I don’t think I’ve seen them since before the attack,” he wondered aloud.</p><p>“I’m sure they’re alright. They’re probably busy helping Sakura, Shizune, and Lady Tsunade with patients and setting up the hospital,” Sasuke replied coolly.</p><p>A sigh escaped the blond. “I wonder how Hinata’s doing,” he muttered.</p><p>Sasuke stiffened slightly. “I’m sure she’s fine. Don’t worry so much. She’s not as helpless as before, you know.”</p><p>“I know, it’s just. I feel guilty. She put herself in harm’s way and nearly died for my sake. Then there’s the whole thing of her saying she loved me,” he said with a far-off look in his purple eyes.</p><p>“Don’t. Her actions were her own. You know any of us would have done the same thing,” Sasuke said firmly. A small smile tugged at Naruto’s mouth as he finished his curry, turning to the umeboshi. He normally had sweet ones with honey, but he’d been meaning to try the sour variety.</p><p>“Hey, Naruto. I was thinking of something.”</p><p>Naruto raised a brow and hummed as he chewed, finding the tartness to be surprisingly refreshing.</p><p>“I think I know a way we can find out more about your Rinnegan without having to wait for Lady Tsunade to let me into the Uchiha archives,” Sasuke explained.</p><p>Naruto regarded his roommate with an expectant look as he chewed on another umeboshi.</p><p>“There’s…a place. It’s considered sacred, and only those with Uchiha blood are allowed to set foot there…” Naruto’s face dropped. “…but. That’s…a formality, more than anything. There are no blood seals or anything on the place. So technically anyone could go there, but, well, it’s in the Uchiha compound.”</p><p>Naruto stared at his friend. “You want to take me to a place your clan considers sacred? But…why?”</p><p>“Like I said the other night: you’re my brother, even if you weren’t born an Uchiha or adopted by the Uchiha. If taking you to the Uchiha Shrine will help, I see no reason not to,” he said with a sense of finality.</p><p>Naruto smiled. “Thank you, Sasuke. Really. I’m honored you would take me there,” he said with quiet sincerity.</p><p>Sasuke waved his hand dismissively as he chewed on another grape tomato. “Don’t worry about it, you sap. It’s the least I can do for you.”</p><p>Naruto chuckled as he dug back into his umeboshi. He had to admit, the sour ones were good, and so was Sasuke’s cooking. Maybe he could get used to not having ramen all the time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Konan lives! Thanks a bundle for reading! As always, kudos if you enjoyed, and feel free to leave a comment! Chapter 7 in the works! Thanks again!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The First Step</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto begins training in using the abilities his dōjutsu grants him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I present to you: chapter 7! Sorry this update took an extra day, I wasn't expecting to write this much. But once I started writing this chapter. I just kinda went until I found a good stopping point.</p>
<p>I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Konan sat on the bed in her cell, holding her knees to her chest. Her Akatsuki cloak sat folded on the foot of the bed. The only source of light was a single dangling lightbulb in the center of the small stone cell. The cell, like the rest of the complex, had been carved out of the rock forming the cliff face which held the Great Stone Faces. There was no way to tell what time it was; the sun didn’t warm the rock this far underground, so it was always cold compared to outside.</p>
<p>Sleep eluded her. She was exhausted, but her mind wouldn’t quiet for even the briefest moment. Her evaluation was necessary, but she cursed the man known as Inoichi Yamanaka for invading her mind; for digging through her thoughts and memories. The scar-faced one with the bandana named Ibiki was no better. He had a cold presence about him that made her shudder, despite his polite tone at the time.</p>
<p>To be treated as a prisoner was expected, but it still wasn’t the most pleasant experience. But she had been through worse, as the Yamanaka had seen. Konan sighed as she rested her forehead against her knees. Flying all the way from Ame to Konoha had been more taxing than she had thought. Not that flying was particularly taxing in the first place, but flying for an extended period while avoiding being spotted after a bitter fight was tiring, to say the least. She had collapsed after she surrendered to the guards at the front gate and was barely conscious as she was carried by ANBU to the interrogation room where she met Naruto.</p>
<p>A sigh escaped her as she thought of the blond-haired young man. Of all the people in the world, Nagato had chosen him to bear the Rinnegan. Her thoughts returned to the man she had fought on the lake surrounding Amegakure: the masked man that called himself Madara Uchiha. She had a feeling he would show himself, but when he told her the reason, her blood ran cold. Konan had little idea that he would come for Nagato’s eyes, and in that moment, she regarded her late friend with awe at his foresight. He must have known that the masked man’s arrival would come to pass and must have known that giving Naruto his eyes was the best way to keep them safe. It was unexpected, to say the least. Even Konan, who was calculating by nature, hadn’t considered that option.</p>
<p>The azure-haired woman shut her eyes as she remembered her fight with the Uchiha after she refused to let him desecrate Nagato’s body. He seemed untouchable; every attack she threw had literally passed right through him. She had tried to sacrifice herself to kill him at first, but he had used a strange teleportation jutsu to warp most of the explosion away. Konan was unharmed, but part of his orange mask had broken. In that moment, she vowed to end the man and his darkness, declaring her loyalty to the good in the world, along with her apostasy from the current Akatsuki.</p>
<p>Immediately after her declaration, she parted the lake that they stood upon, revealing a canyon of billions of sheets of paper: paper bombs. Six hundred billion, to be exact. Konan was glad that she had revised the detonation system. Normally, detonating all the bombs would leave her exhausted from the sheer amount of chakra that it would take. Fortunately, she had found a way to light all the bombs using a system of chain reactions that cost a fraction of the chakra. Her lack of chakra exhaustion had let her fly away from Ame towards Konoha, certain that her opponent was nothing more than a scattering of soot in the lake surrounding Amegakure. She knew she would need to return to Ame before it fell into disarray, but she first needed to fulfill Nagato’s wishes.</p>
<p>Konan let out another sigh as she thought of her home. Her history in Ame was a troubled one, and she had become one of its protectors after Nagato eliminated Hanzō. After returning to bury her friends, however, she felt out of place. She was not “God,” as the people of Ame had come to know Pain, and she was not “God’s Angel” either. She was Konan: a compassionate and empathetic woman who had suffered a traumatic childhood. She didn’t feel like she could take up the mantle of leading Ame as Nagato had. She was just as calm and level-headed as Nagato had been, but she knew within herself that she couldn’t be what Ame wanted her to be, much less what the war-torn village needed.</p>
<p>She had done quite a bit of thinking during her journey to Konoha, and had wondered if she should just leave Ame to let it stand on its own two feet. Konoha was the primary aggressor when it came to all the wars that had used Ame as their battlegrounds. Maybe now she could advocate for recognizing Ame’s sovereignty as a hidden village. But what future did she have in Konoha? What would happen once she exhausted her usefulness as an informant on the Akatsuki and their movements? What would happen once she helped Naruto as much as she knew how to? Would she decide to lead a civilian life or try to be a kunoichi? Would she even be allowed to be a shinobi again?</p>
<p>The blue-haired woman laid down on the bed, her amber eyes staring at the stone ceiling, questions upon questions roiling in her head. Her thoughts eventually meandered back to Naruto. His chakra signature was unique, which was to be expected as the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. But there was something else to it besides the underlying influence of the beast: a benevolent warmth. His chakra wasn’t like that of the masked man or of the other members of the new Akatsuki. It was neutral; peaceful, even. It reminded her of Nagato’s and Yahiko’s chakra in some ways. She could sense his determination when she first met him, and saw it in his purple eyes when she spoke to him in the interrogation room.</p>
<p>She yawned as she rolled onto her side, tucking a wayward lock behind her ear. She plucked her paper rose from its perch, gazing into its petals as she cradled it in her hands. Konan knew she would fulfill Nagato’s wish and help Naruto. Beyond that, she was uncertain, but she had a feeling that she should let Ame go. There wasn’t much for her there aside from the corpses of her friends. Maybe she would return there, if only to set them up to stand on their own. She laid the paper rose next to her pillow as a dreamless sleep took her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>In a surprising turn of events, Naruto was up before Sasuke this morning. Interestingly, the blond ninja had no hankering for ramen this morning. He decided to make some toast with sweet bean jam, opting to slice a tomato for Sasuke after setting a kettle to heat for some tea. His roommate hated sweet things for whatever reason, which stood in stark contrast to Naruto’s growing sweet tooth. The blond swore he would get Sasuke to eat at least one sweet thing of his own free will; at least a semi-sweet skewer of dango.</p>
<p>The kettle whistled as the toaster popped out four perfectly toasted slices of bread. Naruto set the tea on the table, letting it steep as he sliced a tomato before spreading the sweet bean jam on his toast.</p>
<p>Sasuke made his way into the kitchen as Naruto was setting the plates down. The Uchiha gave a small yawn, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He examined the simple breakfast laid before him.</p>
<p>“Hell must have frozen over for there not to be instant ramen on the table,” he quipped.</p>
<p>“Stuff it, Uchiha. Look, there’s even tomatoes. I know for a fact you can’t resist those.”</p>
<p>Sasuke grumbled, shooting the snickering blond a dirty look as he sat down to offer his gratitude before digging in. Naruto only smiled before doing the same. He had to admit, the jam tasted good. It wasn’t cloyingly sweet like he had expected, and it didn’t taste like congealed red bean soup either. It even went well with the toast and tea. Sasuke was surprised that Naruto had taken it upon himself to slice a tomato just for him. He took it as a return of his own gesture of picking up soy sauce flavored instant ramen the night of Naruto’s awakening.</p>
<p>“So, you think that lady with the blue hair will show up?” Sasuke queried.</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged as he sipped his tea.</p>
<p>Sasuke pondered as he took a bite of his tomato toast. “Maybe sensei will teach you Chidori or something. You’re probably fast enough by now, and your Rinnegan gives you enhanced perception like our Sharingan.”</p>
<p>“Maybe. It’ll probably be a bitch and a half to learn since lightning isn’t my primary affinity.”</p>
<p>“True. But your shadow clones should make it at least a little easier, right?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded as he chewed on another bite of toast.</p>
<p>A moment of silence passed before Sasuke spoke again. “Have you ever considered changing your wardrobe up a bit?”</p>
<p>Naruto froze, his teeth sunken into his second piece of toast, looking at his roommate like he had grown a second head.</p>
<p>“Oh, come on. You can’t just wear bright orange forever, can you? That cloak you were wearing looked cool, why not try and, I dunno, go for a look that suits it?”</p>
<p>“Hey! Don’t rag on the orange! It’s my favorite color, ya know! Plus, it looks good on me! It’s my <em>signature</em> color!” Naruto squawked, brandishing his half-bitten toast. “Besides, <em>your</em> clothes haven’t changed much, either. You still wear high-collared shirts! Matter of fact, the most that’s changed is the fact you wear a skirt with that stupid rope around your waist!”</p>
<p>“The high-collared shirts are an Uchiha thing and you know it, whiskers. Also, it’s not a skirt. And the rope at least looks cool, plus it holds my ninjato in place,” Sasuke retorted. “Besides, you have a powerful dōjutsu, you’re a sage, and you’re a strong shinobi. Why not update your look to be a little more serious?”</p>
<p>Naruto took a bite out of the toast, considering his friend’s suggestion. He had to admit, looking cooler or more intimidating would be nice. Especially since people tended to underestimate him from how he looked and acted. Plus, the sunglasses were kind of throwing his outfit off; they didn’t really fit in with the orange and black tracksuit.</p>
<p>“I guess I could use a wardrobe update,” the blond grumbled. “Maybe we can ask Ino and Sakura? They seem like they would know a thing or two about how to look good.”</p>
<p>“You sure you’re not just trying to hit on Sakura some more?”</p>
<p>Naruto nearly choked on the tea he was drinking as he blushed furiously. “The fuck’s that supposed to mean? I’m just— ya know because girls are— and Sakura and Ino— you know what I mean!”</p>
<p>Sasuke threw his head back as he laughed. “Don’t sweat it, blondie, I’m just screwing with you. But you do have a point, Ino especially has an eye for fashion. Maybe it’s worth checking if they’re free after training?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded as his cheeks returned to their normal sun-kissed color. The two sat for a little while more before getting ready for the day.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sakura woke to the smell of coffee. She sat up in her bed, blearily eyeing the clock. Ino was up early, as always. The pink-haired kunoichi let out a yawn as she inwardly wondered how her roommate was able to get herself out of bed so early. She stood up and stretched before going through her morning routine.</p>
<p>After hearing from Sasuke that he and Naruto were roommates, Sakura had mentioned it to Ino during a conversation, who in turn suggested that they move in together also. Sakura was surprised by her friend’s idea, but she had agreed after giving it some thought. Up until now, Sakura and Ino were both living with their respective families. It was nice, comfortable even, but they both felt that they should take a step towards independence. Both of their families agreed after hearing that they would be rooming with each other’s best friend, so there was very little by way of pushback.</p>
<p>The two had grown accustomed to living with each other, which wasn’t surprising to either, since they had been friends since their days in the academy. Sakura remembered her friendship with Ino fondly as she brushed her bubblegum pink locks. She kept her hair shoulder-length ever since the Chūnin Exams, and she rather liked it that way. Ino had mixed feelings about it at first, but it had grown on her, commenting once that it made her look cute.</p>
<p>Sakura, of course, wasn’t particularly concerned about her appearance as much as she was the practicality of having her hair short. Her practical line of thinking showed in her choice of clothing, as well. Whenever she was doing work at the hospital or just around the village, she stuck with rather comfortable clothes. Such was her ensemble of choice for today: a red top with cream-colored short sleeves that bore the Haruno crest on its back, and a navy-blue pencil skirt that stopped above her knees. Her hair, unsecured by her headband, framed her face and hung just past her shoulders. Black knee-high sandals would complete her outfit.</p>
<p>The medic regarded herself in the mirror. She wasn’t the picture of feminine beauty like her roommate was, but she was pretty, she was strong, she was smart, and she had a good figure. She was never one for caking on makeup like civilians, and wore less makeup than Ino. For her, all that was needed was some mascara and a bit of eyeliner. Ino had tried to give her a makeover a few times, but she never felt like herself afterwards.</p>
<p>Sakura was about to head over to the kitchen to have her cup of coffee when she remembered what was laying on top of her dresser: Naruto’s sage cloak. She had found it after his bitter fight with Pain. It had been damaged from the corrosive nature of the Nine-Tails’ chakra, but she was able to put her skills in sewing to good use and repair it with Ino’s help. She tucked it under her arm as she went to meet Ino for breakfast.</p>
<p>“Morning, Ino.”</p>
<p>The platinum blonde turned from preparing their eggs over rice. “Oh, good morning, Sakura,” she returned with a smile, catching sight of the red and black cloak tucked under Sakura’s arm. “You planning on giving it to him today?”</p>
<p>Sakura nodded as she sat down. Ino set their food down, sliding a plate of three umeboshi over to the pink-haired kunoichi. Both offered their gratitude for the food before digging in.</p>
<p>“Hey, Ino. I had an idea,” Sakura started, earning a hum from her roommate. “You think one of these days we could go shopping with the boys?”</p>
<p>“By boys, do you mean <em>your</em> boys or <em>my</em> boys?”</p>
<p>“My boys. I think they’re both due for a wardrobe update. And uh…I was also kinda hoping you could help me pick some clothes, too,” Sakura said sheepishly as she took a sip of her coffee.</p>
<p>Ino let out an exaggerated sigh. “Forehead, I thought you’d never ask! You have no idea how much I’ve been <em>dying</em> to help you pick out clothes!”</p>
<p>Sakura’s eye twitched ever so slightly at the implications behind her roommate’s excitement. “My outfits aren’t ugly by any means, Pig.”</p>
<p>“Your words, not mine. I just think you could stand to have some cuter outfits for when you’re not wearing your shinobi gear. Come to think of it, you could even get some cuter shinobi gear.”</p>
<p>“My outfits are cute!” Sakura squawked.</p>
<p>“I never said they weren’t! I just said you could stand to have some cute-<em>er</em> outfits,” Ino corrected. “You know, cute enough to impress Sasuke,” she said as she waggled her eyebrows.</p>
<p>A light blush adorned Sakura’s cheeks. “That’s not why I want other outfits, Pig,” she muttered. While it was true that Sakura still held onto her childhood crush, she wasn’t ignorant to the possibility of others stealing her heart. The only thing was that nobody had done so, at least not yet. “Maybe I just want to look as pretty as you do.” The pink-haired kunoichi took another sip of coffee.</p>
<p>Ino regarded her friend with a smile. “Well aren’t you sweet. Don’t worry, I was just teasing. Truth be told, I think Naruto needs more help than Sasuke. How many times have we both told him that orange is not a color that ninja wear?”</p>
<p>Sakura snorted. “Too many to count, that’s for sure.”</p>
<p>“You think Sasuke would be able to convince him to change things up?”</p>
<p>“Knowing him, just maybe. I think once he sees this cloak, the gears might start turning. Naruto might be a doofus sometimes but he’s not stupid.”</p>
<p>Ino nodded as she chewed some of her rice. “Hard to believe he’s the same one we used to make fun of, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“He’s definitely changed, especially after that trip he took. He’s a bit more mature but still a blockhead. But there’s something about him that makes you wonder how much he’s really capable of.” Sakura had been one of the people who had poked fun at Naruto for his lack of academic proficiency and his overall goofiness. Once everyone at the academy had found out he and Sasuke were best friends, even Naruto had earned a fan club. The cherry on top was when he and Sasuke had painted the Great Stone Faces. While some were in complete shock that <em>the </em>Sasuke Uchiha was in league with the village prankster, the fangirls had all squealed about how he and Naruto were so cunning and how their senses of humor were so similar. She cringed at the memory of her and Ino being among those fangirls.</p>
<p>Sakura was pulled out of her reminiscing by Ino. “Well, I think we’d better get going. Lady Tsunade will probably have a lot for us to do today now that the hospital is in working condition.”</p>
<p>Sakura nodded as they both set out to meet with their master.</p>
<hr/>
<p>As always, Kakashi was late. Naruto and Sasuke were both sprawled out on the grass, watching clouds pass over them in silence. They could see why Shikamaru enjoyed this so much; it was quite relaxing. Sasuke had sworn he heard snoring coming from Naruto and poked him to make sure he was conscious. Sure enough, he had dozed off and grumbled when Sasuke woke him up.</p>
<p>Their cloud-watching was interrupted by dampened footsteps in the grass. The two chūnin rose to their feet in unison and were greeted by their sensei and a familiar head of blue hair.</p>
<p>Naruto examined the newcomers. “Kakashi-sensei and…Konan? What’re you doing here?”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s face was twisted in puzzlement, eyeing the woman who was clad in her Akatsuki cloak. “And why are you wearing that cloak?”</p>
<p>“Konan is going to be helping you with your Rinnegan starting today,” Kakashi began.</p>
<p>“As for why I’m wearing this cloak; it’s simply because these are the only clothes I have for now. I don’t want to be wearing this any more than you want to see it, but until I get others, this is what I have,” Konan finished.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke studied the woman, looking for any hint of deceptive body language. They sighed and nodded when they found none.</p>
<p>“Now then. Naruto, why don’t you bring Konan up to speed on your progress so far?” Kakashi suggested. His blond student gave a quick nod before he explained his newfound ability with his shadow clones to an attentive Konan.</p>
<p>Naruto hesitated for a moment, debating whether he should mention what had happened when he first tried to form the Rasengan. He figured it couldn’t hurt; Kakashi was his sensei, after all. “There was one more thing that happened that was, uh, kinda weird,” he started, earning raised eyebrows from both Kakashi and Konan. Naruto cleared his throat. “Well, when I tried the Rasengan yesterday, it uh, sort of exploded the first time.”</p>
<p>Kakashi was about to speak when Konan beat him to it. “What exactly do you mean ‘exploded’?” She questioned; her eyebrow still cocked upwards.</p>
<p>“Well, I made a small Rasengan, and as soon as I added some chakra to make it bigger, I felt my control slip, and it blew up. It dispelled my clone and knocked me onto my butt.” He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.</p>
<p>Kakashi stepped forward with a quizzical look in his eye. “I know this isn’t the most ideal course of action, but do you think you could replicate what happened?”</p>
<p>Naruto frowned before nodding and creating a single shadow clone. He formed a small Rasengan at first, adding more chakra to increase the size slightly but not focusing as hard as he did yesterday. His control slipped, and sure enough, the spinning orb exploded. The shadow clone was dispelled, and Naruto was once again knocked onto his rear as everyone shielded their faces from the shockwave.</p>
<p>Konan peered down at Naruto, her face set in her ever-stoic expression. The Rinnegan bearer rose to his feet, swearing he saw a small glint in the woman’s eye. Kakashi meandered closer to where Konan and Naruto stood, with Sasuke following close behind.</p>
<p>Kakashi was about to ask Konan for her input when he saw her tense. “Someone’s here,” the Ame woman muttered. The men of Team 7 put their heads on a swivel, scanning for anyone who could be watching.</p>
<p>“Hey, look!” Naruto pointed at a head of bubblegum pink hair making their way towards them. They saw Sakura freeze and start running full speed. Kakashi quickly flickered in front of her, causing her to skid to a stop. The trio that was left heard the pink-haired kunoichi shrieking about Konan’s Akatsuki cloak, interspersed with Kakashi’s calm voice explaining why she was here. Konan studied the grass at her feet as the silver-haired jōnin brought his female student up to speed. Sakura glared at the former Akatsuki member as she walked past her.</p>
<p>After greeting Sasuke, Sakura presented a folded article of clothing to her blond-haired teammate.</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head to the side. “Uh, thanks, Sakura. But uh, what is it exactly?”</p>
<p>“Take it and find out, dummy.”</p>
<p>Naruto took the red square and watched it unfurl into the sage cloak he thought he had lost. It was the same red with black flames adorning the bottom, except now the kanji for ‘oil’ was emblazoned on the back. A face-splitting smile took over his face. “No way! You found it! And you fixed it?! This is amazing! Thank you so much, Sakura!”</p>
<p>Sakura found herself on the receiving end of a crushing embrace. She returned the hug, a light blush painted on her cheeks. Naruto always gave the best, warmest hugs of anyone she knew.</p>
<p> “It’s no problem, Naruto. I figured you’d want it since you’re a sage now and all,” she said as Naruto released her, slipping into the cloak. <em>‘Now if only we could do something about the orange,’ </em>she mused to herself.</p>
<p>“Wait a second, aren’t you supposed to be helping Lady Tsunade?” Sasuke asked.</p>
<p>“Ah, well, I <em>was</em> helping her out today, but she sent me home early since I took care of a lot of things yesterday with Shizune. She even sent Ino and Haku home early.”</p>
<p>Their exchange was cut short by Kakashi clearing his throat. “As good as that cloak looks on Naruto, what say we get back to making him an even stronger sage?” He asked rhetorically with one of his signature masked smiles. The trio nodded sheepishly as Kakashi gestured to Konan, signaling for her to give her input on Naruto’s peculiar Rasengan.</p>
<p>“From what I can tell, Naruto let one of the Rinnegan’s abilities slip when he first tried to perform the Rasengan.” All heads snapped to the blue-haired woman, wide eyes staring at her and Naruto.</p>
<p>“And which ability would that be?” Kakashi asked with a raised eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Before I answer that, I should probably explain something about Nagato and how he used his Pain bodies,” Konan began. Kakashi considered the woman’s offer before nodding.</p>
<p>“If you remember, Nagato, or Pain, had six bodies. Each one with different sets of abilities, corresponding to what are known as paths: Tendō, Shuradō, Ningendō, Chikushōdō, Gakidō, and Jigokudō. The body that you fought before you found my paper tree was Tendō, which was his primary and most favored. He used Yahiko’s body for that one,” she finished sadly. Naruto sighed inwardly at the mention of her departed friend. He couldn’t help but feel some amount of pity for her losing both of her closest people. “Tendō has the ability to manipulate attractive and repulsive forces,” Konan began before Kakashi chimed in.</p>
<p>“Like how he pushed and pulled his opponents away with that unseen force.” Konan nodded.</p>
<p>“Exactly. Shuradō is a weapon and armor-centered path, and could also grow four extra arms and two additional faces, further enhancing its field of vision. Ningendō,” she shuddered at the mention of its name. “It…well it always disturbed me the most. It lets you read the mind of anyone whose head or chest you touch, similar to the Yamanaka’s abilities. What curdles my blood is the fact that Ningendō must literally pull someone’s soul from their body to read the target’s mind.” A collective gasp emerged from the three chūnin. Konan shivered once more before she continued. “Chikushōdō had the ability to summon various creatures without the need for a summoning contract. Gakidō can absorb chakra in any form, including elemental ninjutsu or ninjutsu that use pure chakra like your Rasengan.” Konan paused as she took a moment to consider her next words. “The last one is Jigokudō. Frankly, I’m not entirely sure of its full abilities aside from its ability to interrogate and restore using the King of Hell.”</p>
<p>Team 7 collectively flinched. “Did you just say the King of Hell?” Sasuke asked incredulously. Konan simply nodded as a moment of pregnant silence passed before Naruto spoke up.</p>
<p>“Wait. Nagato had six bodies to control the six paths or whatever they’re called right? Does that mean that I need to have six bodies or something to be able to use all those abilities?” His teammates nodded, wondering the same thing.</p>
<p>“Not necessarily. Nagato used the bodies because he was crippled and in relatively poor health,” she began. Naruto nodded, remembering how Nagato was nearly skin and bone when he had met him. “Someone who was in better condition, like yourself, could utilize all the abilities of each path without the need for separate bodies or clones.”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek, processing the information. It was quite a bit to take in; he never figured that each of the abilities of the bodies of Pain were <em>all</em> from the Rinnegan. Not only that, but because he was in better physical condition, Naruto would have access to the abilities of each of the paths, with time and training. He shuddered at the thought of sprouting extra arms and extra faces.</p>
<p>The blond Rinnegan bearer turned his attention back to Konan as she spoke. “As far as what happened with your Rasengan, it seems as though you unconsciously let loose an ability belonging to Tendō. It’s called Shinra Tensei.”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head. “Shinra Tensei? What exactly does it do?”</p>
<p>“It’s a technique that manipulates repulsive forces. It can be used on people or objects: meaning it can repel things like incoming kunai or shuriken, or even push someone back who’s charging you.”</p>
<p>The blond ninja cupped his chin, his face contorted into an exaggeratedly pensive expression. “So, how do I do it?”</p>
<p>Everyone’s ears perked up as Konan began. “From what Nagato told me, it’s like flaring your chakra to dispel a genjutsu. Except instead of just flaring it like a gust of wind, you focus it within yourself before you force it out. Try it.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, his hands forming the Ram seal as he focused on gathering and concentrating his chakra. He was never very good at dispelling genjutsu, but since this was different, he figured he might have a better chance at getting it down. He felt the chakra reach a point that it fought against him, and he forced it out of himself. As he did, he felt the air pulse all around him; it was weak, but it was something.</p>
<p>He looked to catch his team and Konan lowering their hands from shielding themselves. Sasuke’s Sharingan had activated, while Sakura’s face was one of surprise. Kakashi, as usual, maintained his half-lidded look, while Konan looked just as passive.</p>
<p>“Not bad. You catch on quick,” Konan remarked. “The power behind it is dependent upon how much chakra you pour into it, and how much you focus. Try it again, but put more force behind it.” As she finished, she gestured for everyone to get back.</p>
<p>Naruto nodded before gathering his chakra again. He molded more, trying to keep it contained, fighting the feeling of it wanting to burst out. Just as he couldn’t hold it, he forced the chakra outward, extending his open palm. “Shinra Tensei!” This time he felt more than just a pulse; this time he felt the same unseen force that Kakashi had mentioned radiate outwards all around him. After he felt it dissipate, he turned to see his audience recovering from the shockwave, shielding their faces with their arms.</p>
<p>Konan walked toward Naruto. “Very good. A couple of things to keep in mind: as you likely remember, there’s a minimum five second interval between uses. The more power behind Shinra Tensei, the longer you’ll need to wait before you can use it again. Additionally, with training you’ll be able to perform it quicker, and without the use of hand seals.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a single, quick nod, his jaw set in determination. Kakashi stepped forward, nodding in agreement with Naruto’s blue-haired instructor. “Given your training technique using shadow clones, I think you’ll get the hang of this in no time.”</p>
<p>Konan turned and eyed the jōnin. “Training technique? Shadow clones?”</p>
<p>Naruto spoke up, gesturing towards his sensei. “Kakashi-sensei taught me a way to learn things faster using shadow clones. Basically: every time a shadow clone dispels, I get its memories, so if I set a bunch of shadow clones to practice a jutsu like Shinra Tensei…”</p>
<p>Konan put the pieces together. “All the experience the clones get from practicing the jutsu comes back to you once you dispel them,” she finished. She nodded slowly, turning back to the silver-haired jōnin. “I’d heard of your prowess as a ninja, Mr. Hatake, but I must admit you seem to be a fine teacher if you helped him develop a training method that efficient,” she said evenly. A light blush once again dusted Kakashi’s visible cheek before he regained his composure.</p>
<p>Naruto looked at Konan with an expectantly. She created a paper clone before she spoke. “Now, before you start practicing with shadow clones, I want you to try knocking my paper clone back. It doesn’t need to be spectacular since we’re just getting started, but try to knock it off its feet.” Naruto nodded as his two instructors stepped back once again. They and Naruto’s teammates watched; the air thick with anticipation.</p>
<p>The paper clone stood unmoving as Naruto closed his eyes. This time, he tried focusing and molding his chakra without using a hand seal. He felt the familiar sensation of the chakra wanting to burst out as he added more. The dam was about to break, and he opened his eyes and raised an open hand towards the paper clone, forcing the chakra outwards with a shout. “Shinra Tensei!” For a split second, there was a deafening silence. Naruto felt the unseen force radiate outwards from him once again, but it felt even stronger this time. He watched as the paper clone was sent flying back at least twenty feet, landing on its back.</p>
<p>Naruto took a deep breath as he looked at his trembling right hand. A smile crept its way onto his face. His head snapped back up as the paper clone dissolved into individual sheets. Said sheets returned to Konan, who was making her way towards him, Kakashi and his teammates in tow. Sasuke and Sakura both wore expressions of awe, while Kakashi and Konan retained their stoicism.</p>
<p>A moment of silence passed as everyone was left speechless after what they had just seen. Konan found her voice first, speaking quietly and with a hint of awe. “Naruto, as you might have guessed, I was with Nagato when he discovered and honed his abilities. He was smart, and a very quick learner, but even he took longer than you to perform Shinra Tensei at the level you just did.”</p>
<p>Team 7 turned to stare at Konan. Even Sakura’s scowl was absent from her face as she eyed the Ame woman. All eyes turned back to Naruto, who fidgeted at the amount of attention that was on him. Leaves rustling in the breeze was the only sound heard for a few moments.</p>
<p>“So…what’s next?” Naruto asked, trying to hide his excitement.</p>
<p>Konan pondered for a moment. “I think now would be a good time to put that shadow clone training to good use. Kakashi?” She asked, turning to said jōnin.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave a small nod. “I think that’s a good idea. Just be sure to cut the visual link so you don’t overload yourself.” Naruto flashed a toothy grin before he created twenty shadow clones, sending half to practice molding the chakra quickly with no hand seals, while the other half was sent to practice controlling the size and power of the gravity wave.</p>
<p>The blond ninja turned his attention back to Konan. “So, Miss Konan—”</p>
<p>“Just Konan is fine, Naruto,” she interrupted.</p>
<p>Naruto nodded sheepishly. “Right. Uh. So, Konan. About the other paths or whatever they’re called. Well, just one, specifically. Which was the one that has a bunch of weapons?”</p>
<p>“Shuradō? What about it?”</p>
<p>“Well…you said it could grow extra arms and extra faces. Is that really true?”</p>
<p>Konan raised a brow as Kakashi cleared his throat. “Based on what I saw, it is. After all, that was the body that I fought with Chōza and Chōji. Well, that and the one that could push and pull things at will.”</p>
<p>Naruto cupped his chin, thinking through his next words. “But could I really do that? It just doesn’t seem physically possible. The closest thing to that I saw was this guy that worked for Orochimaru that could grow bones and use them as weapons and stuff.”</p>
<p>Konan nodded in understanding. “One of the Kaguya. Well. To answer your question, I’m not sure if <em>you</em> could grow extra arms and extra faces, since the only time I’ve seen it happen is with the corpse that Nagato used for Shuradō. However, anything is possible.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded. By this point, everyone could feel the dark cloud hanging over Sakura’s head. Naruto shot Sasuke a look, which was answered by a nod. The pink-haired kunoichi was quietly led away by Sasuke to try and calm her down, leaving Kakashi and Konan to discuss training with their blond teammate.</p>
<p>Once they were a fair distance away, Sasuke stopped, turning to face his female teammate. “Look, I know you don’t like thi—”</p>
<p>“You’ve got that right! What the hell is an Akatsuki member doing here training Naruto?! Shouldn’t he be getting help from, well, anyone but her?!” She hissed.</p>
<p>Sasuke let out a sigh. “Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s pretty shady, too. But she said she’s not part of the Akatsuki anymore. Plus, think about it: you heard yourself that she was with the guy controlling Pain when he honed <em>his</em> abilities with the Rinnegan. Don’t you think that counts for something?”</p>
<p>Sakura glowered at her raven-haired teammate. “This has ‘suspicious’ written all over it and you know it.”</p>
<p>“Maybe it does. But Naruto seems to trust her enough to let her help, and the Hokage let her in in the first place. If I know Lady Tsunade, she’ll nip any kind of trouble in the bud before it gets too out of control,” Sasuke reasoned.</p>
<p>Sakura let out a sigh; he had a point. The Hokage was nothing if not cautious. Naruto also had a habit of seeing the good in people, and he hadn’t been wrong about Haku or Gaara, so she decided to trust his judgment as Sasuke did. Still, she would be wary of the blue-haired woman. The duo walked back to their teammate and his older companions, who were discussing the time frames regarding Naruto’s training.</p>
<p>“I think this is a good place to call it for today. I’d better go deliver my report to the Hokage. Naruto, if you want to continue training using shadow clones, you can, but don’t push yourself too much,” Kakashi began.</p>
<p>Konan nodded in agreement. “The techniques that the Rinnegan grants you can be taxing on your chakra reserves. As your sensei said, be careful that you don’t push yourself to the point of chakra exhaustion.” Naruto gave a firm nod. He knew that he would likely start drawing on the Nine-Tails’ chakra if he or his clones went for too long, so he would dispel them in a little while.</p>
<p>“Take the day off tomorrow. Train a little on your own if you’d like, but I have some matters to attend to with the Hokage. So, let’s try and meet here the day after tomorrow, same time.” He finished with his signature masked smile. Not a moment later, an ANBU operative appeared next to Konan, and the trio flickered away.</p>
<p>Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura stood for a moment. The female of Team 7 turned to her boys, bringing her hands together in a single clap.</p>
<p>“So, I have a suggestion for tomorrow, since you’re both free, and Lady Tsunade gave me, Ino, and Haku the day off,” she began as Naruto and Sasuke eyed her curiously. “I say we do something about each of your wardrobes.” She gestured to their clothes, which were largely unchanged from the time they were genin.</p>
<p>Sure, Naruto’s orange track jacket had more black now, and he had the sage cloak, but his pants were still the same shade of orange that he always wore. Sasuke had changed his wardrobe somewhat as well. He still wore a high-collared shirt like when he was a genin, but this one was grey and had long sleeves. He had also started wearing a blue garment that covered him from his stomach to his knees around his waist. Said garment was secured by a thick purple rope, the ends of which hung off his left hip, while his ninjato was secured to his right hip by the rope. He had also taken to wearing high-topped sandals that stopped just below his knees.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke stared at their pink-haired friend, their mouths agape. The two sputtered incoherently, managing to get a few words in about how their clothes were fine. Sakura could only giggle and shake her head. “Come on, you two. Your clothes aren’t too different from when you were genin. Yours especially, Naruto. No offense,” she said with a commiserating smile. Naruto grumbled at the irony, having had this exact conversation with Sasuke.</p>
<p>“Well. Maybe I could use a bit of an update, too,” Sasuke conceded. He had to admit, maybe he ought to try something other than his signature high-collared shirt. “Do you know if Ino will be coming? She has a good eye for things like this,” the Uchiha started, noticing Sakura’s glare. “Not that you don’t, but Ino, well, she’s Ino.” He raised his hands in a placating gesture.</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged his shoulders. “Well, regardless. As long as I get something that will look just as good if not better than my orange, I’ll be alright.”</p>
<p>Sakura huffed. “Yes, Ino will be coming. Wait, did I tell you two yet?” Both young men cocked their heads at her question. “I guess not. Ino and I are roommates now, it was her idea. Speaking of roommates. Naruto, you didn’t put up as much of a fight about your orange as I thought you would have,” she pointed out.</p>
<p>Naruto groaned. “Believe it or not, Sasuke actually suggested I change my clothes up a bit this morning.”</p>
<p>“I take it he convinced you?” Sakura prompted.</p>
<p>“Of course not! I made the decision myself.” The blond pointed at himself with his thumb, his chest puffed out.</p>
<p>Sasuke chimed in. “You made the decision after I gave you good reason to.”</p>
<p>“So he <em>did </em>convince you!”</p>
<p>Naruto groaned in exasperation as his haughty posture deflated. “Fine, yes, he convinced me. But you <em>did </em>say that <em>both</em> of us needed better clothes, which includes Sasuke,” he sneered.</p>
<p>Sakura sighed and gave her blond teammate a small smile, silently acknowledging the truth in his words. Sasuke only groaned. As much as he liked Naruto, he got on his last nerve sometimes. Naruto’s only response was to flash his raven-haired friend his signature grin.</p>
<p>“Anyway, like I was saying. We can go shopping for clothes tomorrow since we’ll have time off, and some merchants have reopened. I was thinking along with Ino we could bring Haku. Maybe we’ll run into some of our other friends, too,” Sakura offered.</p>
<p>Naruto’s grin stretched to a full ear-to-ear smile as he nodded excitedly. He hadn’t seen Haku since returning from his training trip with Jiraiya. Sasuke offered his own small smile; the thought of seeing his friends and classmates was a welcome one.</p>
<p>“So, I’ll come get you two in the morning. It won’t be too early; I wanna sleep in, too. I’ll see you both tomorrow,” Sakura finished with a smile. She was about to turn and head home before she froze mid-stride and turned to Naruto over her shoulder. “Hey Naruto?” The blond snapped his head towards the pink-haired kunoichi. “Great work today,” she said warmly before turning and heading back towards the village. Naruto responded in kind with his foxy grin, though a light blush dusting his cheeks.</p>
<p>“Yo, you gonna dispel your clones? I was thinking we could head to the Uchiha Shrine before we head home for dinner,” Sasuke told his blond friend. Naruto gave a single nod, the clones one group at a time with a hand seal. All the memories flooded into his mind; every success, every failure, every incremental improvement.</p>
<p>Naruto turned to his friend; his brows set in a determined expression. “Let’s go.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>It had been a while since Naruto had set foot in the Uchiha compound. He felt uneasy as he followed Sasuke through the ghost town. Being on the outskirts of Konoha meant that it was one of the only things aside from the training grounds to survive Pain’s attack. Naruto knew the place was empty, but the events of the past lingered like a fog; filling the air with an eerie silence. He didn’t want to imagine what it would be like to have seen the gruesome aftermath of that fateful night.</p>
<p>Sasuke led them to the far side of the compound, where the Naka Shrine stood. The duo beheld a red torii adorned with an Uchiha crest. Just beyond it stood the shrine itself, bearing the same Uchiha crest above the door. Prayer beads hung from the doorframe. All the exposed wood was painted the same shade of red as the torii.</p>
<p>Naruto was led inside by a silent Sasuke. The entryway was flanked by two large fans, bearing the same crest as before. Stepping through another sliding door, they were greeted by an altar. The candles hadn’t seen the spark of a flame for many years, and prayers sat undisturbed. Similar fans bearing the Uchiha crest were hung on the wall on either side of the altar. In the very center was an old painting of a figure Naruto didn’t recognize.</p>
<p>“This shrine is to the patron deity of the Uchiha clan,” Sasuke said quietly, placing his hands together in silent prayer before bowing to the shrine. Naruto did the same as a show of respect.</p>
<p>“To be honest, I forgot the name of the deity, but I know that in the past, faith and worship of it was a big part of the clan’s culture,” he said, gesturing for Naruto to follow. Sasuke walked to the right of the shrine, stopping once he approached the corner. Naruto looked on with quiet puzzlement. The Uchiha knelt, lifting the tatami mat and setting it aside.</p>
<p>Hidden beneath the tatami mat was a stone slab bearing a seal, the likes of which Naruto had never seen. In the middle of the slab was an icon that looked like a Sharingan: three tomoe connected by a ring, with a small circle in the middle. Surrounding the Sharingan-like icon was a string of symbols and characters that extended outwards towards each side of the slab, forming a cross-shaped pattern.</p>
<p>“Sasuke…what am I looking at?” The blond asked quietly.</p>
<p>Sasuke remained silent as he wove hand seals faster than Naruto had seen from him before. The Uchiha finished on Dragon. A moment passed before Naruto felt a thrum of energy from the slab. No sooner did the seal glow a bright blue as the slab levitated from its resting place, moving off to the side and floating back down to the ground. The nearly two-foot-thick stone slab had concealed a stone staircase that led underground. Naruto gazed into the abyss. He was never one to back down from the unknown, but something about this chilled him to his bones.</p>
<p>Sasuke started down the staircase, pausing to call back to his friend. “Come on, let’s see if we can find some answers down here.” Naruto swallowed, taking a trepidatious step onto the first step. He trusted his friend, and despite feeling apprehensive about walking down a dark staircase underground, he trusted that Sasuke would guide him.</p>
<p>At the end of a dark hallway at the bottom of the staircase, a light shone in a room. Naruto could tell by the shadows that the light source was a torch or sconce of some kind. His heartbeat thumped in his ears as he followed Sasuke; his palms felt clammy, and he tried to keep his breathing regular.</p>
<p>The duo crossed a red brick threshold into a square, fire-lit room. Two braziers sat on the floor opposite two walls that bore paintings of the same being in the painting upstairs. These murals looked to be slightly more colorful. However, what caught Naruto’s eye was the stone tablet sitting in the middle of the wall opposite the threshold. The stone was about three-and-a-half feet tall, he reckoned. Above it was a framed piece of paper with the name “Uchiha” written on it in large characters. Flanking said frame were two Uchiha crests painted onto the wall. Naruto stared at the stone, unable to even begin to decipher the symbols and characters carved onto it. The place felt ancient, and once again Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine.</p>
<p>“Sasuke…what…is this?” Naruto asked, his voice barely above a whisper.</p>
<p>“I’ve only ever heard of this being referred to as the ‘Stone Tablet,’” Sasuke began. “The most that I know is that you can only read it if you have the Sharingan. Even then, you can only read part of it. I’ve never tried reading it with my Mangekyō, but hopefully I can find something that might be helpful to you, or both of us.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded; his eyes glued to the tablet. Sasuke’s Sharingan blazed to life as he began to read. “In the quest for peace, god divided things into yin and yang…” Naruto turned and watched as Sasuke’s eyes morphed into their Mangekyō form. The Uchiha studied the stone for a few moments, trying to decipher what it said. “The…opposing forces…worked…with each other…and, in turn…gave us the universe…” Sasuke sighed as his eyes returned to normal. “There’s some other stuff there regarding the Mangekyō, like how to obtain it and stuff, but that’s about all I can read.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed, studying the tablet in a futile attempt to try and understand even a single character. An idea popped into his head as he thought aloud. “I wonder…”</p>
<p>Sasuke turned to his friend, an eyebrow cocked quizzically. “What’re you thinking?”</p>
<p>Naruto removed his sunglasses, turning to meet Sasuke’s onyx gaze with his own purple one. “I’m thinking I should try channeling chakra into my eyes and see if I can read anything. Kakashi-sensei did say that it gave me enhanced perception like your Sharingan, after all.”</p>
<p>Sasuke brought a hand to his chin before giving a single silent nod. Naruto turned back to the stone tablet. He channeled chakra to his eyes, and the previously incomprehensible symbols and characters formed words and sentences. His purple rippled eyes widened as he started to piece together what he could now read.</p>
<p>“What do you see?” Sasuke asked.</p>
<p>Naruto’s mouth opened, but his words died in his throat as he tried to decipher what he saw. The etchings on the tablet looked like they were moving constantly, which made reading difficult. His mouth closed as he gathered his thoughts before he spoke again. “I see what you saw: ‘In the quest for peace, god divided things into yin and yang. The opposing forces worked with each other and, in turn gave us the universe,’” Naruto recited as he squinted. “But there’s something else here…” Sasuke stared at his Rinnegan-bearing friend with bated breath. “When someone who possesses the power of Samsāra approaches the moon, an eye will open that is reflected on the moon to grant the eternal dream…”</p>
<p>Naruto cut the flow of chakra to his eyes as he screwed them shut and clutched his temple. A throbbing pain had set in, and he nearly doubled over. Sasuke approached the blond, setting a hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, don’t worry. Looking at that thing for too long gave me a headache,” Naruto said as he felt the pain begin to subside. Sasuke’s grip on his friend’s shoulder tightened slightly as Naruto stood up straight. The Uzumaki cracked his eyes open and beheld the stone tablet, its etchings unintelligible once again.</p>
<p>“I know what you mean. I remember getting a hell of a headache when I first deciphered that first part. It takes a lot out of you. You sure you’re alright?” Sasuke asked, looking over his friend with concern.</p>
<p>Naruto nodded. “I’m fine, really. I’m more interested in what I saw than my headache. What do you think that last line meant?”</p>
<p>“I…don’t know. I’ve only ever been able to read what I told you earlier, not including what I saw with my Mangekyō. I’m not sure what all that stuff is about the moon and an eternal dream, but it sounded like it was talking about your Rinnegan,” Sasuke answered quietly.</p>
<p>The two stood in silence, staring at the stone tablet. The only sound was the low rumble of the fire from the braziers. Who could they turn to for answers? Even Tsunade’s knowledge on the inner workings of the Uchiha had to be limited. Sure, Kakashi possessed a Sharingan, but he wasn’t an Uchiha. Truth be told, he never talked about how he had gotten a Sharingan in the first place. The only others who might have answers were Itachi, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru. Two of them were dead, and the other had slaughtered his clan. Naruto let out a sigh; he had gained a considerable amount of ground in honing one of his abilities today, but was no closer to finding out what his eyes really meant outside of being powerful.</p>
<p>Sasuke’s footsteps brought Naruto out of his ruminations. The Uchiha heir turned to his friend. “I think we’ve gotten what we could out of that stone. Come on, let’s go home.” Naruto blinked at his friend before replacing his sunglasses on his face and following Sasuke out of the underground room. The large stone slab and tatami mat were replaced, and Sasuke and Naruto once more offered their respect to the altar.</p>
<p>They walked home in silence. Naruto was still processing what had just happened. Not just what he had read on the tablet, but the fact that Sasuke had taken him to one of his clan’s most sacred places. He felt undeserving of such a privilege, especially since he wasn’t born with his dōjutsu like Sasuke was.</p>
<p>They had dinner in relative quiet; only idle conversation was made as they ate the leftover curry from last night. Both Naruto and Sasuke’s sleep that night was dreamless.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Whew! That was my longest chapter yet. A couple things I want to kind of preemptively address: In my mind, it makes sense that Nagato explained a lot of his abilities to Konan since they were best friends and around each other pretty much 24/7, which is why she's a veritable treasure trove of information. I tried to limit her knowledge to what Nagato was able to explain, and I hope this comes across in this and later chapters. As far as Konan's fight with "Madara" goes. Well, quite simply I think she got done pretty dirty in canon, and being a fanfic author, I pulled a couple of strings. Finally, regarding the Uchiha shrine. I know what the wiki page says, and while I strongly dislike the idea of the Rinnegan being just an evolved Sharingan, I think it makes sense that Naruto would be able to read at least some of the stone. Now that that's out of the way, thanks so much for reading! Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmark if you loved, and feel free to leave a comment! Chapter 8 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Good Company</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Team 7 and friends have a nice outing.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Woo! New chapter! This was a ton of fun to write, so I hope you enjoy!</p><p>Kishimoto owns Naruto, I do not.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto’s eyes snapped open, a familiar smell wafting into his nostrils. Could it be? He leapt out of bed, not even bothering to change out of his pajamas to brush his teeth. The blond sprinted into the kitchen, skidding to a halt. His purple rippled eyes grew impossibly wide as he beheld the breakfast that Sasuke had prepared: soy sauce flavored instant ramen.</p><p>Sasuke turned to his roommate, eyeing him curiously. “You know, I knew you loved ramen, but I would’ve never guessed you loved it enough to drag your sorry ass out of bed just because you smelled it.”</p><p>Naruto paid no attention to Sasuke’s jab, opting instead to sit down and give thanks before digging in. Sasuke blinked a few times before shrugging and doing the same. Normally, Sasuke would be entirely averse to the idea of ramen as a first meal, but even he had to admit the soy sauce flavored instant ramen was good enough to eat in the morning.</p><p>Sasuke downed a mouthful of noodles. “So, do you have anything in mind as far as what kinda clothes you’re going to pick out?”</p><p>Naruto shrugged as he downed his own portion of ramen. “Dunno really. Just so long as it looks cool. Maybe I’ll get something that has or—”</p><p>“No orange, you troglodyte.”</p><p>“I told you it’s my favorite color, jackass! The only way I’ll give up the orange is if I find something that looks cooler on me.” The blond retorted, slurping up more noodles.</p><p>Sasuke snorted, a wry smirk tugging on his mouth. “You know, I bet <em>Sakura</em> would pay more attention to you if you wore something besides orange.”</p><p>Naruto nearly choked on his mouthful of ramen, his face turning beet red. “The hell is that supposed to mean, fucker?!” He squawked indignantly.</p><p>Sasuke’s smirk had morphed into a conniving grin. “Oh nothing. Just that maybe if you let Ino help you with your choice of clothes, she and Sakura might start gushing over you like your old fangirls when we were in the academy.” The Uchiha snickered as Naruto frowned, his face still the same shade of crimson. He remembered his fangirls, and while they were some of the few that didn’t ostracize him, he knew that they were mostly interested in the fact that he was friends with Sasuke.</p><p>“Kiss my ass, <em>sausage.</em> Sakura’s not so shallow that she would only notice me for my clothes. And what about you huh? I already told you the only difference between now and when we were genin is you wear a skirt with a rope as a belt!” His face had returned to its normal color, but his voice still held the same indignation.</p><p>Sasuke only slurped on his own ramen. “I already told you that my clothes make sense. Besides, I agreed to change up my wardrobe as well.”</p><p>“Lemme guess, you wanna look cooler for <em>Hinata, </em>don’t you?” Naruto sneered.</p><p>It was Sasuke’s turn to choke on his food and turn red. Even his ears, though semi-concealed beneath his black locks, had turned the same shade of tomato red as his face. “Th-th-th-that’s not it at all and you kn-know it, p-p-pinhead!”</p><p>“Oh yeah? Then how come you’re blushing so hard?”</p><p>“Because y-you mentioned Hinata!”</p><p>“Aha! So you <em>do</em> want to look cooler for her!”</p><p>“Sh-shut your mouth, you half-wit!”</p><p>Naruto threw his head back in raucous laughter. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, Sasuke, I just like screwing with ya. Especially about Hinata.”</p><p>Sasuke pouted as he buried his face in his ramen cup, his blush calming down to a light pink dusting on his cheeks. Naruto’s crush on Sakura had held fast since they were children, and everyone knew that the blond adored the pink-haired girl. Unfortunately for Naruto, Sakura had held onto her crush on Sasuke; though recently it had begun to fade as she opened her heart to the possibility of someone else taking Sasuke’s place by her side. Unbeknownst to Naruto, Hinata Hyūga was near hopelessly in love with him, and had confessed her feelings during Naruto’s fight with Pain; feelings that quietly went unreciprocated. Sasuke, ironically enough, had no interest in Sakura outside of being her close friend and teammate. His heart belonged to the lavender eyed Hyūga girl that fainted around his blond teammate. Truth be told, Hinata had the same effect on Sasuke as Naruto had on her.</p><p>Naruto remembered when Sasuke had first noticed Hinata: he blushed furiously and couldn’t stop staring at her. He had asked his raven-haired friend about it, to which Sasuke only responded that she was pretty and seemed very nice. Unfortunately for the Uchiha, Hinata only really saw him as her and Naruto’s friend; a title that Sasuke wanted to change.</p><p>Sasuke looked back up at his roommate from his ramen cup, only just now noticing that he still had his pajamas on, sleeping cap and all. “Yo, brainless. You should probably hurry and get dressed after you eat. Sakura will probably be here soon with Ino, and maybe even Haku.”</p><p>Naruto grunted as he finished his salty breakfast, tossing the spent foam cup and washing his chopsticks before heading back to his room. He reemerged sporting a black T-shirt with a red Konoha emblem adorning the front. Much to the chagrin of his roommate, he wore orange sweats with his usual black sandals. With his headband missing, his unruly, spiky hair draped over his forehead.</p><p>Sasuke was wearing something similar, except his T-shirt was dark blue, bearing an Uchiha crest in place of the Konoha emblem. His pants were a light grey; reminiscent of the white shorts he wore as a genin. In place of his usual high-topped sandals, he opted for ones that looked like Naruto’s. Like his roommate, Sasuke’s hair also covered some of his forehead without his headband, though the rest of it retained its signature kempt but spiky look.</p><p>The blond plopped himself down across from his roommate at the table, taking a sip of tea. The two sat in comfortable silence before there was a knock at the apartment door. Naruto was about to get up and answer, but was stopped by Sasuke, who pointed to his own eye. The Rinnegan bearer winced, offering a sheepish grin as he went to retrieve his sunglasses while Sasuke answered the door.</p><p>The Uchiha was greeted by the familiar sight of bubblegum pink and platinum blonde locks. Accompanying the two bright colors was one that he hadn’t seen in a while: coal. Sasuke smiled warmly. “Hey Sakura, Ino.” He turned his attention to the androgynous individual accompanying the two girls. “Haku. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”</p><p>The young man gave a small smile. “It has. How’ve you been, Sasuke?”</p><p>“Just fine. Naruto will be out in a second. I’m sure he’ll be especially happy to see you.”</p><p>No sooner did Naruto’s voice pierce the air upon seeing his old friend. “Haku! You came after all!” The blond charged the male medic, tackling him in a bone-crushing hug. Haku laughed heartily after letting out a wheeze.</p><p>“It’s good to see you Naruto. It’s been awhile.” Haku was as soft-spoken as ever, but his eyes held more life than when he had first arrived in Konoha with Team 7. Naruto let him go, holding him by his shoulders. Haku hadn’t changed much in terms of appearance since his arrival in Konoha. He didn’t appear much older; the only indicator of his age being his more sharply defined jawline and his height. He kept his hair longer than most young men his age, opting for a shoulder-length style instead of the twin tails and bun he had sported in the past. Even more surprising was the fact that his voice hadn’t dropped in pitch by much.</p><p>“It really has. How’ve you been? How’s Granny treating you?”</p><p>Haku chuckled once more. “Just fine on both accounts, my dear friend. Sakura and Ino have kept me sane through a lot of the rigors.” Haku took a moment to study the blond, only now noticing his sunglasses. “Er, Naruto? Can I ask why you’re wearing sunglasses? It’s not that bright outsi—”</p><p>“Ah! Well, you see, it’s part of his new look!” Sakura cut in.</p><p>Naruto released Haku’s shoulders, grinning and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The androgynous medic cocked his head before shrugging, deeming the answer reasonable enough.</p><p>“Well, let’s get going! We’ve got lots of shopping to do!” Ino called out to the group, practically glowing with glee.</p><p>Sasuke locked the apartment door before he and Naruto set out with their friends, hoping they wouldn’t look ridiculous by the end of the day’s adventures.</p><hr/><p>As it turned out, clothes shopping with Sakura and Ino was not as straightforward as Naruto and Sasuke would have hoped. The latter considered himself well-dressed, for the most part, especially when it came to his shinobi gear. The former had worn orange for the entirety of his time as a genin and most of his time as a chūnin. Neither had given their choice of clothing a second thought. That is, until Ino weighed in on just how lackluster their ensembles were as the group made their way to a clothing shop.</p><p>“I mean seriously, Naruto. We’ve been telling you for <em>ages </em>that orange is <em>not</em> a good color for shinobi!” Naruto pouted as Sasuke smirked.</p><p>“Oh, don’t think you’re off the hook, Mister ‘My Rope Is Multifunctional.’” The platinum blonde formed air quotes around her nickname for the Uchiha. Sasuke and Naruto’s roles reversed, and Naruto snickered for a moment before realizing that this shopping trip was for both Sasuke <em>and </em>himself.</p><p>Haku and Sakura share a lighthearted laugh, knowing Ino meant well despite her bluntness. “Oh, we’re here,” Haku announced. The group stood before a relatively plain looking shop. The sign was simple: black letters on a white background that read “Ninja Gear.”</p><p>“Well come on! We need to get you two some fashionable gear!” Naruto and Sasuke visibly flinched at Ino’s declaration, catching the manic look in the platinum blonde’s eyes. They gulped before chuckling nervously, following their friends into the shop. Naruto still wasn’t used to the idea of not being kicked out of a shop. Years of being the village pariah had made him paranoid any time he went near a building that wasn’t the Hokage Tower, the academy, or Ichiraku Ramen. Sakura and Haku had offered words of encouragement when they saw him stiffen after crossing the threshold inside. He visibly relaxed after the shop owner greeted them warmly, even offering Naruto his gratitude for saving the village.</p><p>For such an unassuming exterior, the shop had an impressive smattering of items for sale: weapons, clothes, armor, blank scrolls, explosive tags, smoke bombs, even a few starter kits for young ninja that contained basic ninja tools. The group of friends marveled at the shop’s impressive inventory before Ino, Sakura, and Haku started milling about.</p><p>The two male roommates couldn’t help but stare slack jawed at the three medics. They had heard from Sakura how Ino could be when she was in her so-called ‘Shopping Mode,’ but seeing it firsthand was unnerving. She grabbed Sasuke by the wrist and led him through the racks of clothes, picking seemingly random tops and bottoms. Each time, she appraised them by holding them up to his torso or his legs and talking at Sasuke. The Uchiha would try to get a word in, but Ino seemed to be in her own little world. Her talking was more so her way of working through her own opinions on the selected combo rather than actually asking Sasuke what he thought of her selections.</p><p>Meanwhile, Naruto was being attended to by Sakura and Haku, who had a similar process to Ino, but with less thinking aloud and more conversation. Every now and again, Ino would weigh in on the choices that Sakura and Haku would present to the spectacled ninja; she denied more than she approved. Naruto tried to sneak orange in at every opportunity, but each attempt was shot down by his pink-haired friend. Haku chuckled at Naruto’s exaggerated pouting.</p><p>“Oh, come on! You mean I can’t have any orange <em>at all?</em>” Naruto whined.</p><p>Sakura shot a glare at him. “No! We’ve <em>all</em> already told you that it’s not a good color for ninja gear!”</p><p>“To be honest, Naruto, orange turns you into a walking target,” Haku added gently.</p><p>Naruto pouted again, this time letting out a groan. “Whatever, as long as I look cool,” he muttered before returning to absently thumbing through various shirts. Nothing seemed to catch his eye, and he wasn’t finding the suggestions that Sakura and Haku were making to be terribly appealing. He glanced over to his roommate, making eye contact with him. Sasuke mouthed the words <em>“Help me”</em> as he was subjected to more of Ino’s rambling. Naruto snickered at the Uchiha’s misfortune, thankful that he was with two people that he could stand to be around despite being bored out of his mind.</p><p>Not a moment later, Sasuke was yanked towards a fitting room and shoved inside with a pile of clothes to try on. Naruto winced at the sound of the door slamming, knowing full well the scrutiny that awaited him and the Uchiha. He was about to wander off to browse the various weapons and ninja tools when Sakura appeared in front of him with a small pile of clothes, a pleading smile on her face. Naruto groaned as he took the mass of fabric and trudged to the fitting room, his entourage behind him.</p><p>First up was a fairly plain ensemble of a black tracksuit, not a trace of orange to be found. He frowned as he slipped into the clothes. He tried to imagine himself with his sage cloak, but the black looked strange on him. It made his hair stand out even more than usual and made him look like a lit candle. He blew a raspberry as he tossed the inky black tracksuit aside.</p><p>Next was a set of standard navy-blue ninja garments; characteristic red swirls adorning each shoulder of the top. He was confused at first as to why Sakura would give him <em>this</em> outfit of all things until it clicked: his flak vest. No doubt, this was what he would wear on official Konoha business, should the need arise. That, or he would keep it as a backup when his normal outfit and its spares needed a wash or repair.</p><p>Naruto looked himself over in the mirror, finding that it didn’t look all that bad on him. He toyed with the idea of making this his regular outfit for training and missions. The only problem was his sunglasses; they made him look too much like Ebisu with blond hair. He shuddered at the thought of resembling such a strange jōnin. He slipped out of the navy-blue garb, trying to erase the image of him looking like Ebisu.</p><p>The blond sighed, preemptively dismissing the next outfit in line, when a familiar color caught his eye: burnt orange. He immediately unfurled the shirt, staring at it. It was a black, long-sleeved, high-collared shirt with a zipper running down the middle. Flanking the zipper were thin stripes of burnt orange. Naruto could see the same burnt orange on the inside of the high collar. Turning it around, there was a red swirl emblazoned on the back where it would be on his usual track jacket. A splitting smile crept onto his face as he noticed the black pants had a single stripe of orange running down the outside of each leg that would stop just above his mid-topped sandals.</p><p>The elated Uzumaki slipped the outfit on, looking at himself in the mirror. The collar wasn’t nearly as high as he thought it would be, stopping just below his chin. It also hugged a little closer to his neck than Sasuke’s shirts did, letting the burnt orange lining just peek out. The sleeves stopped just before his wrists, and he could see the same burnt orange lining inside. He visualized his sage cloak and the tails of his headband whipping in the wind behind him. Coupled with his circular sunglasses, he thought he looked rather imposing, if he did say so himself. Naruto decided to step out and let the trio of medics take a look at him.</p><p>Just as he threw the door open, he ran into Sasuke, who was about to do the exact same thing Naruto had thought to do. The blond regarded his roommate, looking over what Ino had picked out for him. The Uchiha had donned a smoky grey, short kimono with narrow sleeves; the overlap made for a V-neck that went down to the middle of his sternum. His pants were the same dark navy as before and were still tucked into his high-topped sandals. In place of the ‘skirt,’ as Naruto teasingly called it, Sasuke wore a purple sash, which was a marked improvement over the rope that he had worn previously. Naruto gave a nod of approval; had to admit, Sasuke looked good. The Uchiha sized up his blond roommate, giving his own approving nod.</p><p>The two stepped out into view of their three friends, nervously awaiting the impending bombardment. They were met with stunned silence from the three medics, a light blush dusting the cheeks of all three. Naruto and Sasuke fidgeted awkwardly, unsure of what to do as they felt the three pairs of eyes sizing them up.</p><p>Sakura stared at her two teammates. Sasuke looked so regal in his short kimono, but something kept drawing her eye to Naruto. He looked so much more mature and serious. The color combination of black and orange looked ridiculous on him before, but now he looked positively dashing. Those sunglasses of his only added to his appeal. Her blush deepened as she realized she had been staring at the blond, and she quickly averted her gaze.</p><p>“Wow…” Haku said barely above a whisper. He remembered when he first met Naruto in the forest and how naïve and innocent he was. Now, he looked like a real shinobi; one who shouldn’t be underestimated. He had always found Naruto to be cute in a bratty sort of way, but Haku wasn’t expecting him to look downright handsome. Sasuke looked like someone of nobility; one who could kill a would-be assassin if need be. Ino always joked about how the coal-haired medic was too pretty to be straight; jokes which Haku always took in stride, politely reaffirming that he was interested in women. Though, that was more of a half-truth, as some men would catch Haku’s eye now and again.</p><p>Ino slapped her hands against her cheeks, squealing with girlish glee. “You! Look! Amazing!” The platinum blonde scurried over to Sasuke, who stiffened at her sudden arrival. “Sasuke! You look so <em>dignified </em>in this! You look like a <em>real </em>clan heir now!” Ino squeaked once again, marveling at her handiwork before scampering over to Naruto. “And <em>you!</em>” Ino tugged at Naruto’s collar, eyeing him up and down, a sultry smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye. The blond ninja blushed at the closeness and the look that Ino was giving him. “My, my, Mister Uzumaki. You always acted like a serious ninja, but you definitely <em>look</em> the part now,” she purred. Naruto’s face turned a shade of crimson rivaled only by his sage cloak.</p><p>Sakura agitatedly cleared her throat, casting a glare at her platinum blonde friend. “I think we all agree that Sasuke and Naruto look great in their new outfits. I say we get some spare sets and head out.”</p><p>Naruto’s stomach growled. “How about lunch?” The group agreed, as they were all starting to feel peckish themselves. Naruto and Sasuke changed back into their original clothes while Sakura, Ino, and Haku gathered the spares for the outfits they had picked out, along with a few things for themselves. Naruto had also picked out a pair of gloves that resembled Kakashi’s, but in black. Sasuke and Naruto said they would pay for their own, but Sakura insisted that it was her and Ino’s treat. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he stowed his wallet back into his pocket and thanked them, while Sasuke muttered his own thanks. The Uchiha had the idea to seal the bags into a storage scroll to avoid having to carry them around. Haku, being ever-prepared, had provided said scroll before the group set out again.</p><hr/><p>To everyone’s surprise, Naruto suggested going to a tea shop for lunch. Sakura instinctively checked to see if he had a fever, while Haku and Ino gaped. Sasuke snickered at their incredulity, inwardly gloating at the success of his efforts to get him off his ramen addiction. His moment of triumph was cut short when Haku mentioned that he had seen Ichiraku open. Sasuke grimaced as he saw Naruto start drooling and considering the offer, until he caught the Uchiha’s death glare. Naruto smiled apologetically at his roommate, suggesting that they have dinner at his beloved ramen stall and stick with the tea shop for lunch. The group agreed and set off.</p><p>The tea shop was nice; picturesque, even. Just like the ninja gear shop, it was a bit plain on the outside, likely because the mercantile buildings were still in need of a coat of paint. What struck everyone was the name of the shop.</p><p>“The Jasmine Dragon,” Sasuke read off.</p><p>Haku tilted his head. “Interesting name.”</p><p>Naruto shrugged. “Hopefully the tea is good.”</p><p>The interior was anything but plain. Each hardwood table was decorated with a centerpiece containing a single white lotus. It was a simple tea shop, but there were plenty of options as far as the menu went: green tea, herbal tea, oolong tea, black tea, sweet and savory dango, onigiri, various cakes, even mochi and sweet red bean soup. The owner was an old man who introduced himself as Hiro, an ex-shinobi of Sunagakure, hailing originally from Tea Country. He and his niece, Asuka, and his nephew, Kozu, decided to settle in Konoha after Hiro’s retirement from being a Suna shinobi.</p><p>The group each ordered their rather sweet lunches. The three medics ordered dango, while Naruto decided on the sweet red bean soup. Sasuke, in accordance to his aversion to sweet things, ordered skipjack-filled onigiri. To his chagrin, there were no tomatoes available for side dishes. The tea was delicious, as expected of a tea shop owner from Tea Country.</p><p>As they were talking about how their lives were going since the last time they had seen each other, Sasuke spotted a familiar head of dark blue hair enter the tea shop. The Uchiha spit out his tea, coughing violently.</p><p>“Holy shit! The hell’s wrong with you, Sasuke?” Naruto demanded. Sasuke tried to hide himself behind his cup, his plate, even behind the single white lotus.</p><p>“H-hide me!” Sasuke hissed. His face had turned tomato red.</p><p>Naruto stared at his friend incredulously. “What? Why? Seriously, what’s wrong?”</p><p>Sasuke kept his voice at a harsh whisper. “H-Hinata is h-here!”</p><p>Naruto’s head immediately went on the swivel, spotting the lavender eyed Hyūga near the door, greeting the owner and his niece and nephew. The blond eyed his roommate, who was struggling to maintain his composure. An idea popped into Naruto’s mind, and he excused himself from the table for a moment.</p><p>Sasuke watched wide-eyed as Naruto walked up to Hinata, who started blushing and fidgeting in his presence. He would never admit it, but seeing Hinata around Naruto was like looking into a mirror. The Uchiha tried to keep himself together as Naruto gestured in their general direction and Hinata’s lavender eyes widened. Her face was the same tomato red as Sasuke’s by this point. She nearly fainted when Naruto gestured for her to follow him to their table. Sasuke <em>did </em>faint when he saw Hinata following his roommate, but only for a second. He snapped himself awake just as the Hyūga girl sat down. The Uchiha took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure and put out the fire that had erupted on his cheeks and ears.</p><p>All the while, Sakura was staring at Sasuke like he had sprouted a second head. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Here was Sasuke Uchiha, the very same Sasuke Uchiha who fought Zabuza Momochi alongside Naruto. Sasuke Uchiha, who killed Orochimaru. Sasuke Uchiha, who always looked so calm and composed. Yes, <em>the </em>Sasuke Uchiha was practically falling apart at the seams. Why? Was it because he was afraid of Hinata? Was it something Naruto told him just now? Was something on her face? She had her suspicions that Sasuke had a massive crush on the Hyūga girl, but she pushed those thoughts down, not wanting to think about the possibility of her feelings not being reciprocated.</p><p>Ino found the situation hilarious. She inwardly snickered at how awkward and fidgety Sasuke and Hinata had become, but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for Sakura. Ino figured that her pink-haired friend was ignoring the glaringly obvious fact that Sasuke had a crush on Hinata. Haku simply smiled nervously along with Naruto, hoping to dissipate the awkward tension that hung heavy in the air.</p><p>Thanks to Naruto’s talkative nature, Hinata and Sasuke both relaxed as time passed. At one point, Hinata even conversed at length with Sasuke and Sakura about the extent of their training, what being a medic was like, and how it was having a roommate. Ino and Naruto chimed in now and again to give their two cents on their respective roommates. Haku could only chuckle at how brash the two blonds of the group were.</p><p>Naruto and Haku had taken the opportunity to catch up. Haku was quite enjoying being a medic, but was considering a stint in ANBU as a hunter. Naruto was a bit surprised at the coal-haired medic’s desire to return to combat, but Haku had assured his blond friend that he was only entertaining the idea and had nothing solid planned just yet. Ino threw a glare at her male colleague, insisting that he stick around until she inevitably gets transferred to T&amp;I by way of her father. Naruto wanted to tell his friends about what had happened to his eyes, as Hinata had asked him why he was wearing sunglasses inside. He dismissed the question, chalking it up to his sunglasses being part of his new look for himself, which wasn’t entirely false.</p><p>Hinata left shortly before the group did, saying she needed to head back to the Hyūga compound. Sasuke had even worked up the nerve to bid her goodbye, but blushed furiously at the sight of her sweet smile. Naruto snickered at Sasuke’s shyness around the lavender eyed kunoichi, earning him a scowl from said Uchiha.</p><p>The group paid for their lunch, thanking the owner for the tea. Haku commented that the shop was nice. The owners seemed like good people and they served good food and good tea, so the group agreed to come back when they had free time again. For the time being, they had elected to walk through Konoha.</p><hr/><p>It had only been a couple of weeks since the attack, but the village was beginning to revive. Merchants were beginning to set up shop once again, and carts full of imported goods were making their way along the main road. Civilians and shinobi alike were roaming the village, each on their own personal journey. Most shinobi, ANBU especially, were relegated to patrolling the walls of the village or guarding the Hokage Tower, which had only recently been fully reconstructed.</p><p>The people that were out and about had recognized Naruto despite his sunglasses. Many had offered him cheerful greetings, while some thanked him for saving the village. Others even made a point to bow deeply as they did so. Naruto had gotten slightly more used to the positive attention from the villagers, but he still was often at a loss for words other than an awkward acknowledgement of their gratitude.</p><p>During their trek, the group had run into some of their other friends. Kiba had taken Akamaru on a walk, and paused to boast to the group about how strong he’ll be. They had also encountered Shino, who they thought was skulking about in the shadows. Unbeknownst to them, he was actually standing in broad daylight. Rock Lee had passed by them, but only briefly, as he was running laps around the village on his hands with Might Guy. Tenten wasn’t far behind, but she had opted for jogging on her feet rather than her hands. Chōji was in his usual place: eating copious amounts of barbecue. The group waved at him through the window so as not to disturb his almost ritual-like dining.</p><p>The group of friends mostly made small talk whenever they weren’t talking with friends they encountered. The group continued strolling through town and had done some more catching up. Ino mentioned that her father had been incessantly trying to get her to transfer to T&amp;I from the medical division. But Ino was stubborn, and had told Inoichi multiple times that she wanted to get as much as she could out of learning from Tsunade before transferring. Sakura was surprised that Inoichi was still on her case about that, while Haku merely expressed his sympathy for the platinum blonde. Sasuke had taken the opportunity to talk more with Haku, deciding to bury the hatchet. He had figured that it was pointless to hold what happened against him, especially since it was likely that Haku could save his life one day as a medic. After a couple of hours, Naruto dramatically announced that they should head to Ichiraku Ramen to have dinner. Sasuke and Ino grimaced, Haku smiled awkwardly, and Sakura delivered a smack to the back of Naruto’s head. Even Naruto admitted he probably deserved it for being so loud in public.</p><hr/><p>Dinner at Ichiraku was a familiar affair for Team 7, but Haku didn’t frequent it often, and Ino had never eaten there before. Naruto was overjoyed to see Teuchi and Ayame again, his teammates also greeted the father-daughter duo warmly. Surprisingly, Teuchi even recognized Haku despite him not being a regular customer. Sakura introduced Ino to the two ramen chefs, who told her that her first bowl would be on the house as a new customer. Teuchi, in fact, had decided to give everyone their first bowl on the house, since it was the first he’d seen them since the stand reopened. Naruto could have lit all of Konoha with the smile he gave.</p><p>As always, Naruto had miso char siu with extra pork. Sasuke ordered shoyu with shrimp, and Sakura and Ino had gone for miso as well, but with veggies instead of pork. Haku had taken a liking to the seafood shio, saying it reminded him of Kiri. The ramen was exceptional, and even Ino admitted that it was tasty, if a bit filling. There was no shortage of laughter and smiles, and it was refreshing for Naruto to be able to eat at his favorite ramen stand with his teammates.</p><p>Their night out ended once Teuchi announced that he had to close up shop for the night, but not before Naruto had downed eight bowls. The group of friends walked towards the residential district, bidding each other goodnight once someone neared their residence. Naruto and Sasuke made their way back to their apartment quietly, though they both wore small, satisfied smiles.</p><hr/><p>Sasuke unsealed the piles of clothes onto the couch as Naruto went to his room to put his sunglasses on his nightstand. As he retrieved his pile, he turned to the Uchiha.</p><p>“Hey, Sasuke.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Naruto paused, choosing his next words carefully. “Do you think I’ll be able to keep my eyes secret?”</p><p>Sasuke turned to his roommate. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“Well…I mean, I’ve never worn sunglasses before, well, you know. And so far, Haku and Hinata both noticed them. I guess I’m just wondering how long it’ll be before <em>someone</em> finds out about my dōjutsu.”</p><p>“Who can say? I mean, most secrets don’t stay secrets forever.”</p><p>Naruto sighed as he nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m just worried people will freak out, or the wrong person will find out about my eyes and come after you and Sakura, or me.”</p><p>Sasuke paused mid-stride, moved by Naruto’s selfless concern for him and Sakura over his own wellbeing. The Uchiha shook his head. “Don’t worry about it so much. Even if someone tries to come after us, we’ll just kick their ass like we always do.” He finished with a mischievous smile.</p><p>Naruto flashed a toothy grin to his roommate before chuckling. “Yeah, you’re right. If anything, I’ll just ask Granny about who can know about my eyes. After all, they are pretty cool.”</p><p>It was Sasuke’s turn to chuckle as he started toward his room. “Don’t let it get to your head, whiskers.”</p><p>The blond ninja simply laughed as the two headed into their rooms for the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ah, fluff is nice, isn't it? I wanted to give some of the other characters a bit of time to interact with Team 7, especially Haku. That, and I wanted to break up the seriousness of training with a bit of fun. I did a lot of thinking regarding how to change up Naruto and Sasuke's clothes to be different while still keeping their signature elements, namely Naruto's orange. Also, cookie to anyone who caught the VERY obvious reference in there. Thanks for reading! Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmark if you loved it, and feel free to leave a comment! Chapter 9 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Along the Paths</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto's training continues as he learns to use more abilities granted by the other paths of the Rinnegan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 9 has arrived!<br/>I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A week had passed since Team 7’s last day off, a week full of training for Konoha’s newest dōjutsu user. Sakura had returned to working with Tsunade, Shizune, and Haku at the hospital. Ino had been splitting her time between there and T&amp;I at the behest of her father. Kakashi was surprised to see his students’ choices of ninja attire, but even he had to admit that they looked more like serious shinobi, Naruto especially.</p>
<p>Thanks to a combination of Konan’s guidance and shadow clones, Naruto had become about as proficient as Nagato had been with Shinra Tensei. He no longer needed a hand seal and had gotten much faster in channeling his chakra to manipulate the repulsive force. He could now use his ability near-instantaneously, and with varying degrees of strength.</p>
<p>Naruto had also gained considerable ground in refining his control of the shared vision shadow clones. He now had full control over five visually linked clones. The sight of six Narutos was a bit jarring, as it reminded everyone present of Nagato’s six corpses he had controlled previously. Naruto’s new, more serious look only served to further liken his use of shadow clones to Pain’s corpses. Of course, nobody said anything aloud.</p>
<p>Sasuke had taken time to refine his kenjutsu, integrating his Sharingan into his techniques with the help of Kakashi. When asked, Sasuke would also spar with Naruto to test his control over his shadow clones, as well as offer tips for improving his taijutsu to work better with his enhanced perception. The Rinnegan user was sloppy at first, and struggled to coordinate his attacks and defenses. Konan helped to remedy his ineptitude by sparring with him, which mostly consisted of her sending paper shuriken his way, which she also used as an opportunity to teach him to form barriers with his ability. Paper clones accompanied the paper shuriken to train him in engaging multiple opponents at once with his visually linked shadow clones.</p>
<p>The last spar between the two dōjutsu users had ended in a draw, and even then, it was a narrow call. Despite being outnumbered, Sasuke held his own, but Naruto had still made very effective use of his shadow clones. He was no Nara strategist, but his coordination had improved by leaps and bounds.</p>
<p>Sakura had tried to make time to see her two friends more often. She usually went to meet them at the training ground after her shift at the hospital or during her break, if she could. The times she did show up, Naruto was sparring with either Sasuke or Konan, and Sasuke was usually busy with his own training. Despite not getting to talk with them too much, Sakura was happy to be able to watch her friends train like they had in the past.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto still couldn’t get used to Kakashi being on time, even after a week of punctuality. He and Sasuke had chalked it up to being responsible for Konan. Still, it was jarring to see their sensei <em>not</em> appearing from thin air two hours later than their agreed meeting time. Kakashi took Sasuke to work with him on kenjutsu, still staying in eyeshot, while Konan stayed with Naruto.</p>
<p>By this point, Konan had done away with her Akatsuki cloak, opting instead for a navy-blue kimono top with baby blue trim. The kimono was secured by a simple amber-colored obi, and she kept her leggings and sandals combo from before. Her periwinkle paper rose remained on its perch in her pale blue hair.</p>
<p>Naruto had just finished a few warm-up exercises: coordinated shadow clone strikes, Shinra Tensei of varying strengths, and holding up a repulsive barrier against paper shuriken. After the last shuriken was thrown and blocked, Konan gave a single nod before walking towards him.</p>
<p>“Very good. Up until now, you’ve been focusing on the repulsive forces,” she began as Naruto listened intently. “We’ll start working on the attractive forces.” The blond gave a sharp nod, a smile tugging at his mouth. Kakashi and Sasuke appeared a short distance away after noticing Konan speaking to their comrade.</p>
<p>“The primary ability that manipulates attractive forces is called Banshō Ten’in. It allows you to pull one or more targets towards you. From what I remember, it has the same five-second interval between uses. However, unlike Shinra Tensei, the time will always be five seconds between uses.” Naruto’s face was set in a serious expression as he hung onto every word the blue haired woman spoke.</p>
<p>“So, how do I do it?” He prompted.</p>
<p>A sheet of paper emerged from Konan’s sleeve, folding itself into a simple butterfly. “It takes more focus than Shinra Tensei. Nagato told me that instead of focusing on pushing outwards, you reach out with an invisible hand and focus on pulling towards you. Try it with this butterfly.” The paper insect fluttered its wings as it hovered in place. Naruto extended his right hand, focusing on the paper. Concentrating his chakra into his hand, he tried to picture the invisible hand grabbing and pulling the butterfly to him. His hand trembled, sweat beading on his brow. He felt a tug; the butterfly barely moved off course.</p>
<p>Naruto dropped his hand, clicking his tongue in annoyance. Konan took notice and gave a sagely nod. “It wasn’t terribly easy for Nagato, either. Try again.” The blond nodded and raised his hand once more. Sasuke and Kakashi went back to drilling advanced kenjutsu techniques, though the latter still held half of his attention on his other student.</p>
<p>He focused on the butterfly, taking a deep breath before concentrating chakra into his hand again. His brow furrowed as his eyes drilled holes into the paper insect, trying to picture the invisible hand. He felt the tug and latched onto it. “Banshō Ten’in.” With that, the butterfly flew towards Naruto’s hand, its wings flitting in an attempt to level out. He felt paper crumple against his hand. Turning his palm towards himself, he could see what the butterfly had been reduced to. His mouth hung open at his accomplishment.</p>
<p>The sheet of paper sprang away from his hand and began folding itself back into a butterfly, snapping Naruto out of his stupor. He looked up to see more sheets of paper emerging from Konan’s sleeve and folding themselves into butterflies. He turned his attention to the blue-haired woman as she spoke.</p>
<p>“A good start. Now try pulling multiple targets to you. It’s the same idea, just focus on creating multiple hands. Once you can pull multiple small targets at once, we’ll move on to larger targets.” Naruto nodded, smiling as he slapped an open palm over his fist. He watched as the first butterfly flew to join the others.</p>
<p>Like before, the butterflies hovered in place, only adjusting themselves to avoid colliding with one another. Seven targets. Seven hands. Seven grips. Naruto brought his hand up and concentrated. He felt the initial tug and held onto it, raising his voice slightly. “Banshō Ten’in!” This time, the butterflies were immediately yanked towards the blond. Their wings flapped wildly, trying to reorient themselves. Once again, Naruto felt the paper hit his open palm and crumple.</p>
<p>The Rinnegan bearer turned his palm towards himself, his heart threatening to pound its way out of his chest. His face stretched into an ear to ear smile as his breath hitched. An elated laugh escaped his lips as he admired his handiwork. His smile held fast as the crumpled sheets of paper twitched to life, folding themselves back into butterflies. Naruto watched as they flittered back to Konan, unfolding themselves and retreating into her sleeves. A small smile decorated her normally stoic face as she walked towards him.</p>
<p>“Very good. As usual, you catch on quickly. Now we’ll move on to larger targets. Starting with a single paper clone.” Konan stepped away as more paper appeared, forming itself into a copy of her. Paper wings formed on the clone’s back and gave one strong flap, creating some distance between it and the Rinnegan user.</p>
<p>Naruto took a deep breath and brought his hand up, his palm open towards the unmoving paper clone. He felt the tug and grabbed on. “Banshō Ten’in!” The clone appeared to fall forward before it flew off its feet towards the blond ninja. Naruto’s eyes widened as he watched the clone hurtle towards him and braced for the inevitable impact. Not a second before the collision, the clone dispersed into the sheets of paper it was made of.</p>
<p>The blond threw a fist in the air, whooping with excitement. Konan quietly marveled at his ability to learn so quickly. She had anticipated that it would take a few days before he was able to pull multiple small targets to him, much less pull a paper clone. She could only wonder how quickly he would hone his abilities with the other paths.</p>
<p>More paper emerged from Konan’s sleeves to create another clone as she spoke. “Good. Next, try two paper clo—”</p>
<p>“Actually, I have another idea,” Naruto interrupted.</p>
<p>Konan cocked an eyebrow and watched him expectantly. A wry smirk crept its way onto his face as he turned his attention towards Kakashi and Sasuke, who were busy practicing kenjutsu. Before Konan could intervene, Naruto had already raised his hand. “Banshō Ten’in!”</p>
<p>Sasuke was mid-stride towards his sensei when he was lifted off his feet and thrown in what he thought was a random direction. Likewise, Kakashi was just about to dodge Sasuke’s move as he felt himself being pulled. An all too familiar sense of dread overcame the jōnin, while Sasuke cursed and wondered what was going on.</p>
<p>The two caught sight of their blond comrade, but not before they heard him cackling. Just before the two would have slammed into Naruto, the Rinnegan user let go of them. Sasuke and Kakashi stopped mid-air before falling to the ground unceremoniously with a thud. Naruto’s cackling grew into raucous laughter as he doubled over, holding his sides. Sasuke bolted up and immediately started berating his roommate, his Sharingan blazing. Kakashi and Konan both let out their own exasperated sighs. Kakashi had warned Konan that Naruto was prone to hijinks, but she didn’t think she would bear witness to them.</p>
<p>The blue haired woman watched expectantly as Naruto’s laughter finally calmed down, though not after Kakashi all but dragged Sasuke back to their spot for more kenjutsu training. Feeling her glare on him, Naruto quickly composed himself to await her next instructions.</p>
<p>“Even though that was a bit…unnecessary, you at least showed that you can pull more than one human target towards you.” The blond gave a single nod before she continued. “That said, I think now you should apply your shadow clone training technique. Like with Shinra Tensei, the focus is speed: how quickly you can pull the target or targets to you.”</p>
<p>Naruto flashed a toothy smile before creating thirty-six shadow clones. One third moved away to practice pulling single targets, while the other two thirds went to practice pulling multiple targets at once. The blond turned back to Konan, an expectant look on his face.</p>
<p>“There’s one more technique that Tendō is capable of using,” she began as another sheet of paper floated out of her sleeve, crumpling into a ball. “It’s called Chibaku Tensei.”</p>
<p>Naruto watched the paper user and the floating ball intently. “Chibaku Tensei?”</p>
<p>“The user creates a small sphere of what is essentially concentrated gravity.” More sheets of paper appeared from her sleeve, floating towards the crumpled ball. “It’s inert until the user activates it. Once activated, the gravity sphere will pull everything in range towards it, creating a sphere made of rock, trees, plants, buildings, and anything else it grabs onto. Including people.” The sheets of paper began layering themselves over the original crumpled ball, creating a sphere about the size of an apple. “Depending upon how much chakra is poured into it, the resulting planetoid can be anywhere from the size of a shinobi village…” a flurry of paper rushed to wrap itself around the small sphere, increasing its size to that of a large melon. “…to something that resembles the moon.”</p>
<p>Naruto stared at the floating ball of paper, trying to wrap his head around the idea of being able to create something so massive using just his chakra. He was broken out of his stupor by Konan’s voice. “This is a very destructive technique, and is also very taxing on the user. I’ve only ever seen it used once, and he nearly passed out from exhaustion afterwards.” Naruto caught Konan’s hidden meaning: she only ever saw Nagato use it, and he had a feeling that he used it during the fight where Naruto nearly lost all control of the Nine-Tailed Fox.</p>
<p>“So, I’m guessing I won’t be able to really practice it, huh?”</p>
<p>Konan shook her head as the paper sphere peeled itself apart, each sheet returning into her sleeves. “It’s far too destructive, especially this close to the village. If you were to ‘practice,’ you would need to go somewhere far away from others, to avoid hurting anyone. Even then, it would be difficult to not cause a stir with a large mass of rock floating in the air. I understand your chakra reserves are large, but it still requires a lot of chakra.” Naruto’s face contorted into a pensive expression as she continued. “While it’s not as dangerous for the user as some kinjutsu can be, it’s more of a last resort.”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek, considering the potential outcomes of trying to perform Chibaku Tensei, even away from Konohagakure. Despite the apparent wildly destructive nature of the technique, the sheer power of it was tantalizing. He wasn’t deaf to Konan’s warning of potential chakra exhaustion, but he knew his limits. Plus, if he used the chakra of the Nine-Tails…</p>
<p>A question popped into the Rinnegan user’s head, bringing him out of his ruminations. “I know I can’t practice it right now, but let’s say I could at some point. How would I do it?”</p>
<p>Konan eyed the blond warily before she explained. “As I said earlier, you would create a sphere of concentrated gravity. As for how to create the gravity sphere; it’s a combination of both Shinra Tensei and Banshō Ten’in, in a manner of speaking.” Naruto cocked his head. Seeing his puzzlement, Konan elaborated. “From what Nagato told me, you focus on collecting a strong attractive force into a sphere outside your body. In this case, between your hands. The strength of the gravity sphere would be dependent on how much chakra you pour into it. Once you release it, it floats its way up on its own and suspends itself until you activate it. Upon activation…”</p>
<p>“Chaos,” the blond finished. Konan gave a single nod. Naruto stood and mulled over the blue haired woman’s explanation. As much as he wanted to test his mettle and try the technique, he knew it would cause more trouble than it was worth.</p>
<p>“So, what can I do since my shadow clones are training?” Naruto prompted.</p>
<p>Konan brought a hand to her chin. “Well, since you’ve shown considerable aptitude in the abilities Tendō grants you, I think it would be good to start working on another path.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s face lit up as he flashed his signature foxy grin.</p>
<p>“The next will be Chikushōdō. It’s fairly straightforward, so I have no doubt you’ll be able to learn this quickly,” she began as the Rinnegan user listened intently. “As I’m sure you’re aware, summoning requires a blood contract, and in turn requires blood to summon the creature you’ve signed a contract with. Chikushōdō allows you to summon various creatures without the need for a blood contract, such as a bird, an ox, a panda, a centipede, and even a multi-headed dog. You might even remember seeing some of these.” Naruto silently recalled facing a few of the beasts mentioned as the Ame woman continued. “There are others, but we’ll get to those later. One notable difference between Chikushōdō’s summoning and regular summoning is that you can also summon people.”</p>
<p>“You mean like how the toads can reverse summon me to Mount Myōboku?”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure how reverse summoning works, but I suppose it would be similar. Nagato was able to use Chikushōdō to summon his other paths as well as me. He never fully explained how he was able to summon people, nor was he able to explain where the animals came from.”</p>
<p>Naruto cupped his chin, his face contorting once again into a pensive expression. “So, this summoning. How does it work? Is it like a regular summoning jutsu?”</p>
<p>“Well. Yes but no. There are no hand seals involved when summoning creatures, only for when you summon people. But, instead of just slamming your hand down and hoping for the best, you think about the animal you want to summon. You don’t have to have an exact mental picture, just a general idea. Try summoning something of your choice. Remember: no hand seals and no blood.” Naruto gave a strong nod before Konan jumped back, putting some distance between herself and the blond.</p>
<p>His first instinct was to bite his thumb and run through the necessary hand seals, but he caught himself unconsciously moving his hand towards his mouth. After shaking his head and taking a deep breath, Naruto gathered his chakra and envisioned the animal he wanted to summon. He closed his eyes and pictured the bird that he saw during his fight with Pain. The image as clear as it can get, he snapped his purple rippled eyes open and threw his open palm down onto the ground. “Kuchiyose no Jutsu!”</p>
<p>Sealing script appeared from beneath Naruto’s hand as a loud bang echoed through the training ground. A massive plume of smoke cleared to reveal an enormous bird with greyish green feathers sat upon the ground. Kakashi and Sasuke paused their own training to stare at the large and unusual summon. It was nearly as tall as Gamabunta, and had three legs, one of which looked to be on its back near its tailfeathers. Its beak was jagged and was the second most prominent feature of the bird. What drew the attention of the two Sharingan users was the presence of the Rinnegan, along with two of the black piercings that had been present in Pain’s bodies.</p>
<p>As the last of the smoke cleared, Naruto stumbled slightly. Just like his shadow clones, he could see what this gargantuan bird could see. It took him a moment to gain his bearings, but his experience with the shadow clones meant that he was used to seeing more than one field of vision at a time.</p>
<p>Konan made her way over to the blond, who was staring at the enormous bird. He noticed that the summon had been motionless thus far, even its purple rippled eyes were unmoving. “Hey, why isn’t it moving? Summons usually act on their own, don’t they?”</p>
<p>“I was just about to talk to you about that, actually. You’ve likely noticed that you share a field of vision with this summon just like with your shadow clones, yes?” Naruto turned to the blue haired woman and nodded. “What sets the summons of Chikushōdō apart is this shared field of vision, along with the ability to control them yourself, much like your shadow clones. You just need to think the actions you want the summon to perform, and they will do so.”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek. “So, if I want it to fly, I just think ‘fly’?” The moment the word left his mouth, the bird sprang up into the air with a mighty flap of its wings. The Rinnegan user let out a shriek at the sudden movement. Flying was certainly different than walking, running, or throwing a punch, but after a minute or so of gaining his bearings, Naruto was able to at least keep the giant bird level. Kakashi and Sasuke stared slack-jawed at the summon, marveling at the sheer size of it. Naruto had tried to perform more complex maneuvers such as hard turns, dives, and rolls. The two Sharingan users opted to put their training on pause and see just what the blond was up to.</p>
<p>Konan turned to meet Kakashi’s half-lidded eye with her amber orbs. The copy ninja fought to keep his cheeks from turning pink before he spoke. “So, what’s this ability that Naruto’s working on?”</p>
<p>“While his shadow clones are training themselves in Banshō Ten’in, Naruto has started learning to control the summons granted to him by Chikushōdō,” she explained to an attentive Kakashi and Sasuke. The former hummed in acknowledgment, turning his eye to the blond on the ground.</p>
<p>“So how does it work?” Sasuke prompted. Konan then proceeded to explain how the summons were unique in that they didn’t require blood contracts or hand seals to summon, shared a field of vision with the summoner, and could be controlled like his shadow clones. Sasuke nodded slowly as he absorbed all the information. “If the summons don’t require contracts, then where do they come from?”</p>
<p>Konan shrugged. “Nagato never told me specifics. My best guess is he somehow acquired them.”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed in response, turning his attention back to his teammate and the bird. It was rather remarkable that he was able to learn to control a summon like that using only his mind. He seemed to already have the hang of it, and after a few more twists and turns, Naruto set the bird back down to dispel it in another large cloud of smoke.</p>
<p>The Rinnegan user turned back to Konan, watching her for her next instructions, but not before flashing his signature foxy grin. Kakashi simply nodded in approval of his progress, while Sasuke offered a smirk.</p>
<p>“One last thing, and then we’ll call it a day,” the blue haired woman began. “Just as it’s possible to have more than one summon active at a time with a blood contract, it’s possible to have more than one summon granted to you through the Rinnegan. Of course, you’ll still have the linked vision, along with full control of both summons. Try summoning two at the same time, using both hands.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded as the observing trio backed away a few paces. The blond closed his eyes and gathered his chakra, picturing the two animals he wanted to summon: the two-headed dog and the rhinoceros. He snapped his eyes open, slamming down one palm after the other. “Kuchiyose no Jutsu!”</p>
<p>Two loud booms erupted, one after the other. Their respective clouds of smoke combined into one mass. When it cleared, there stood two beasts: a two-headed dog with brown fur and a black and dark grey rhinoceros, both bearing Rinnegan in place of normal eyes. They were about double the height of Gamakichi.</p>
<p>Each head of the dog had Rinnegan and a black spike driven through the top of its muzzle. Its sharp teeth appeared to be perpetually bared, giving it a menacing appearance. It had only one tail, but had what looked to be vestigial wings on its back. The rhinoceros looked surprisingly normal, save for the Rinnegan it possessed, along with the same black spike driven through its forehead. It also had the same vestigial wings on its back, which gave it a rather curious appearance.</p>
<p>Just like the bird before, the summons sat motionless as Naruto stumbled over himself. His sense of sight was assaulted once more with multiple fields of vision. This time, however, there were three additional sets of eyes to contend with. Curiously, the two heads of the dog seemed to combine into one panoramic field of vision. After gaining his bearings, he turned once again to Konan. “So, I control these, too? Just like the bird?”</p>
<p>“Correct. It should be a little easier for you, since these summons can’t fly,” she reasoned. Naruto nodded and focused. The two animals tore off in opposite directions while Naruto stood still. The rhino wasn’t as agile as the dog, but could build up a considerable amount of speed. Its horn and resilience meant it could ram into opponents, knocking them back or even taking them out in one fell swoop.</p>
<p>The two-headed dog was not only nimble, but its panoramic field of vision thanks to its extra set of eyes meant it could see threats coming more easily and dodge. Its speed meant it could be used to counterattack or deliver quick, debilitating strikes. Naruto’s focus was briefly interrupted by Konan’s voice.</p>
<p>“One thing to note about the dog: as it takes damage, it grows more heads.” The animals skidded to a halt as the blond snapped his head towards the kimono-clad woman. Sasuke and Kakashi slowly turned their gazes towards Konan as well.</p>
<p>“Say what?!” Naruto blurted. The two Sharingan users simply stared at her, trying to hide their curiosity.</p>
<p>Konan nodded. “The most I’ve seen it grow is ten heads at once.” Sasuke and Naruto’s jaws went slack, while Kakashi raised an eyebrow. “The dog is one of the more versatile summons that you have access to. It has other capabilities, but we’ll touch on those another time. I think this is a good stopping point for today. Kakashi?”</p>
<p>The silver-haired jōnin stepped forward, nodding. “I would agree. You’re welcome to train or spar some more, but it looks like your shadow clones are off refining one of the techniques you learned. You’ve also shown considerable aptitude with your summoning and control of said summons.” Kakashi finished with his signature masked smile, which was returned by Naruto’s toothy grin. “Right then. Same time tomorrow. See you then.” With that, Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves, while Konan left a swirl of sheets of paper.</p>
<p>Naruto dispelled his summons, turned to his roommate. “You feel like sparring?”</p>
<p>“Normally I would, but I have to take care of something. You still wanna find out more about your eyes, yeah?” The Rinnegan user nodded before Sasuke continued. “I’m gonna head to the Hokage Tower and see what I can do about accessing the Uchiha archives. I’ll meet you at home, just make sure you dispel your clones. Also don’t worry about making dinner, there’s leftover miso soup.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded before dispelling his clones, one group at a time. He took a moment to process the memories that flooded his mind before flashing a foxy grin to his friend. “I’ll see you at home then, Sasuke.” With that, Sasuke flickered away towards the Hokage Tower. Naruto made his way out of the training ground and towards the residential district.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto had briefly considered heading to Ichiraku for dinner, but thought better of it when he realized how light his wallet, Gama-chan, had become with his lack of income from missions. His monthly stipend hadn’t come in, either, and would likely come later rather than sooner. Sure, he could have some instant ramen, but his stash was running low, and he didn’t want to dig into the specialty flavors. At least Sasuke’s miso soup was good.</p>
<p>His sage cloak billowed slightly in the gentle breeze. It was a bit warm, but the late afternoon air was refreshing. He had just set foot into the residential district when he heard his name being called by a familiar feminine voice. The blond turned to see a head of bubblegum pink locks making their way towards him.</p>
<p>“Oh, Sakura! What’s up?” He called.</p>
<p>It was then that he took notice of what Sakura was wearing. Gone was her apron-like skirt, along with her peach-colored elbow coverings. She instead wore a qipao-style top that was shorter than what she had worn as a genin. It was still sleeveless, but the Haruno crest was on the back instead of on the bottom front. The lower half was cut along the back, front, left, and right to allow for mobility. She wore longer spandex leggings that stopped just below her knees. Sakura had also replaced her knee-high sandals with high-topped ones that looked similar to Naruto’s, except hers had higher heels than his. She still wore gloves, but Naruto noticed that they were now fingerless, likely to help with dexterity for medical jutsu. Her medical pouch was fastened to her left hip by a peach-colored belt, while she kept her kunai pouch strapped to her right thigh.</p>
<p>The blond tried to calm the blush that painted his cheeks a rosy color. He always thought Sakura was pretty, but this new outfit of hers made her look like an even more serious kunoichi than before. Naruto wondered if his change of style had the same effect on her the day of the shopping trip.</p>
<p>Sakura’s voice broke Naruto out of his stupefied gawking. He winced internally when he realized he had been staring and hoped the pink haired kunoichi hadn’t noticed. “I’ve actually been looking for you. Do you have some time? I wanted to talk to you about something.”</p>
<p>Naruto blinked at his teammate. “Uh, yeah, actually, I was just heading home.” An idea hatched in his mind as he spoke. “Come to think of it, why don’t you come with me and we can talk over some dinner?” As the words left his mouth, he realized how his offer could be misconstrued, and braced himself for a chakra-enhanced right hook, or a smack to the head.</p>
<p>“That sounds great, actually.” Sakura surprised even herself with how quick her response was, never mind the fact that Naruto’s jaw had gone slack.</p>
<p>“Oh. Great! Let’s go, then!” He wasn’t sure why, but Sakura agreeing to have dinner with him had filled him with elation. Maybe it was because it would be the first time he’s had company other than Sasuke, or maybe he was just glad to finally be able to spend time with his pink haired crush.</p>
<p>The two set off, making small talk about their respective days and how they had gone. As it turned out, Sakura had taken time to train her combat skills with Tsunade, which would explain why she was wearing her new ninja gear as opposed to her usual red top and pencil skirt combo. Tsunade had apparently drilled her in further improving her chakra-enhanced strength, particularly when it came to her kicks. Naruto knew firsthand that she had a killer right hook, and shuddered at the thought of being on the receiving end of one of her chakra-enhanced kicks.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sasuke being absent was unexpected for Sakura, especially since their gatherings almost always included all three of them. The voice in her head had been whispering incessantly about the fact that she was about to have dinner with Naruto, and <em>only </em>Naruto. As in, <em>alone</em> with <em>Naruto.</em> And <em>not</em> Sasuke. Feeling her old Inner Self beginning to return, she quickly silenced that pesky little voice, trying to focus on the matters at hand.</p>
<p>She sat on the couch, cup of tea in hand, while Naruto fixed dinner for them. He was originally going to have the leftover miso soup that Sasuke left him, but decided to cook since he had a guest. He opted to make something simple: grilled fish. It had been a staple of his before he discovered the ambrosia known as instant ramen, so he knew a thing or two about how to make it taste better than what it was.</p>
<p>Naruto beckoned for Sakura after setting the table. She sat down just as he set down two small plates, each holding three umeboshi. Sakura blinked at the choice of side dish. “Since when do you like umeboshi?”</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged. “I tried them one time and I liked them. The sweet ones with honey are really good, too.”</p>
<p>Sakura couldn’t help but stare at her teammate, a light blush dusting her cheeks. Had he planned this? Did he somehow know that umeboshi were one of her favorites? Did someone tip him off? She pushed those thoughts down as they both offered their gratitude for the meal.</p>
<p>Naruto was many things: her classmate, her teammate, her friend, a strong shinobi, a dense blockhead, a former prankster, and an all-around goofball. Being a good cook was something that Sakura hadn’t expected out of him. The fish was delicious; well-seasoned but not spicy, and perfectly cooked, to boot. She had to admit, he caught her eye after returning from his trip with Jiraiya. His change of wardrobe had certainly highlighted how mature he looked, and even made him look more handsome as a result. She couldn’t help but steal a few glances at him now and again, wondering when he had grown into what he was now.</p>
<p>Sakura cleared her throat after taking a sip of tea, refocusing on the reason she was there in the first place. “So, you said you’ve been training with Konan. What new things have you learned besides what you used for that prank you pulled on Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei?”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed as he chewed. “Well, I summoned a few animals. They weren’t toads. One was a huge bird, and then I summoned a rhino and a dog with two heads.”</p>
<p>Sakura was about to take another bite when her hand froze, her chopsticks gripping a piece of fish. “A dog with two heads?”</p>
<p>“Yeah! It was weird. I could also control the summons and see what they saw, just like my shadow clones.”</p>
<p>The pink haired kunoichi blinked as Naruto ate. She shook her head to snap herself out of her stupor. “So, Naruto.”</p>
<p>The blond hummed as he took a sip of tea.</p>
<p>“You’re training these abilities, but do you know much <em>about</em> your Rinnegan? Other than what Konan has told you?”</p>
<p>Naruto set his cup down, replaying the events of the night at the Naka Shrine in his head. He met Sakura’s gaze after giving a small shrug of his shoulders. “Other than what you guys have told me? Not really.”</p>
<p>Sakura nodded as she dug into her rice. “Do you remember what Kakashi-sensei said about who had the Rinnegan before you?”</p>
<p>“I know Nagato was one. The other one was some…guy, right?”</p>
<p>The pink haired kunoichi grimaced at Naruto’s consistently shoddy memory. One of these days she would have to help him with that, somehow. “That ‘guy’ was the Sage of Six Paths.”</p>
<p>Naruto snapped his fingers. “Yeah him! He was really strong or something right?”</p>
<p>Sakura giggled. “I mean, I would think so, since he’s considered the ancestor of shinobi. Shizune was telling me what she knew, also. It’s pretty much the same, though: he lived a really long time ago. Before the First Hokage and even before hidden villages existed, and was one of the strongest people alive. His Rinnegan were part of what made him legendary, at least according to Shizune.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed in acknowledgment as he continued eating. Sakura couldn’t help but notice that even his table manners had improved significantly. She hadn’t paid much attention during their last outing, being too focused on Sasuke’s reaction to Hinata arriving and joining them.</p>
<p>Admonishing herself for getting distracted again, Sakura finally found her voice after a moment of quietly stealing glances between bites of food. “So, Naruto. I think I have an idea that might help you.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s purple eyes met Sakura’s green ones as he cocked his head, an expression of curiosity painted onto his face as he hummed. The pink haired kunoichi couldn’t help but lightly blush under his intense but innocent gaze. Admittedly, the appearance of the Rinnegan was a bit unsettling, especially given how small and narrow the pupils are. Yet despite how strange they looked, they could still convey the emotions that his previous sapphire blues could. There was something about their color that made it hard to look away from them. They reminded her of amethysts.</p>
<p>“Well, do you want to know more about your eyes?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded.</p>
<p>“I was gonna suggest checking the library or the archives to see if you can find anything.”</p>
<p>“What would I even look for?”</p>
<p>“My first guess would be stuff about history. Maybe even mythology, since the Sage is considered more of a myth than anything. Though, I’m not sure how much you’ll be able to find, since I don’t remember seeing many books or scrolls on the Sage. Come to think of it, I don’t think we ever talked about the Sage of Six Paths at the academy, either…”</p>
<p>Naruto groaned. “Is it even worth looking through a bunch of books and scrolls if I won’t find anything?”</p>
<p>Sakura pointed her chopsticks at him. “You never know unless you try.”</p>
<p>The blond grumbled, reluctantly conceding. She had a point, after all. “I guess I can check it out after training. What if I can’t find anything even after looking?”</p>
<p>His pink haired teammate shrugged, chewing on an umeboshi. “To be honest, I don’t really know. Maybe you could talk to Lady Tsunade and see what she tells you?”</p>
<p>An idea popped into Naruto’s head. “Maybe I could ask to look through some of the Forbidden Scrolls!” He flashed his signature toothy grin.</p>
<p>Sakura nearly choked on her tea before glaring at the blond, her left eye twitching. She would have definitely smacked him upside the head for that remark had the table not been between them. “Absolutely not, you knucklehead! They’re called the <em>Forbidden Scrolls </em>for a reason!” She barked, causing Naruto to flinch and raise his hands in a placating gesture.</p>
<p>“I didn’t say I would just go look at them! I said I would <em>ask</em> to look at them!”</p>
<p>Sakura glowered at her teammate before huffing. “Still, only the Hokage and other high-ranking people are supposed to be able to see those. We’re only chūnin, so I doubt we have the clearance.”</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged. “True, but I bet if I had permission from Granny, I’d be able to look at one or two, at least. After all, we don’t know <em>what</em> kinda info the scrolls have.”</p>
<p>The kunoichi let out an exasperated hum as she chewed her last umeboshi. He had a point; special clearance could be granted by the Hokage, and that was more likely to happen than not, given the circumstances. “Maybe check with the library and the archives first, and <em>then</em> ask about the Forbidden Scrolls. If you’re going to do research, be thorough.”</p>
<p>Another groan escaped the blond. He was never a fan of bookwork, as was evident by his grades as an academy student, not to mention his tendency to fall asleep during Iruka’s lectures. However, he knew that if he really wanted to find out what his eyes meant as opposed to what they could do, he would need to hit the books. He managed to put up with Jiraiya’s antics for two-and-a-half years, he figured he could manage some relatively light reading.</p>
<p>A familiar thought invaded Naruto’s mind. “Hey Sakura?”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>The blond fidgeted in his chair, picking at his umeboshi with his chopsticks. “Do you think I’ll be able to keep my eyes secret?”</p>
<p>Sakura blinked at her teammate and friend. Her mouth opened and closed, as though she were about to say something, but no words came. The pink haired kunoichi sighed. “To be honest? I’m not sure. I mean, secrets don’t stay secrets forever. Why do you ask?”</p>
<p>It was Naruto’s turn to sigh. “Sasuke said something similar when I asked him. I ask because, well, Haku and Hinata noticed my sunglasses. And, well, ya know— I just—”</p>
<p>She watched him grow more uncomfortable; a frown marred his face, his purple eyes avoided her gaze as he stumbled over his words. “You’re worried, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod.</p>
<p>Sakura’s gaze softened along with her tone. “Well, what’re you worried about?”</p>
<p>“I’m worried about the wrong person finding out about them and going after any of you to get to me. I know Orochimaru is dead, but the way he was after Sasuke’s Sharingan…”</p>
<p>The two shuddered at the memory of the serpentine individual and his lackey. The thought of him or someone like him going after Naruto’s Rinnegan, or even Sasuke’s Sharingan, was not a welcome one.</p>
<p>Sakura took a deep breath. “Well, Naruto. All our friends are pretty trustworthy, I think. So, I don’t think it would be the end of the world if any of them found out about your Rinnegan.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded; she was right, as usual. He returned his attention to her as she continued. “You could always ask Lady Tsunade about it. Or, if you’d like, I can try to ask her for you, since you’ll be busy training and studying.” A smile tugged at Naruto’s mouth as he nodded again.</p>
<p>Amethyst met emerald as Sakura spoke sincerely. “Besides, if someone does want to try to hurt any of us, we’ll face them like we’ve faced everyone else: together.”</p>
<p>The two exchanged small smiles, both trying to contain the blush that threatened to show on their cheeks.</p>
<p>Sakura excused herself from the table, washing her dishes and setting them to dry before turning to her blond teammate. “Well, I’d better get going, Naruto. Thanks for having me. Dinner was delicious.”</p>
<p>A light dusting of pink adorned Naruto’s cheeks before he offered her a genuine smile. Not his usual foxy grin, but an honest-to-goodness smile. “You’re welcome! It was really nice to talk to you again. Can I walk you home?”</p>
<p>Sakura answered without missing a beat. “Sure, I’d like that.” Once again, she had surprised herself with how quickly she accepted his offer. Normally, she’d have walked home by herself after one of their gatherings. For some strange reason, she’d said yes to Naruto walking her home; not Sasuke, <em>Naruto.</em></p>
<p>Her Inner Self had finally broken free of her restraints, and decided that now was a good time to chime in. <strong><em>‘The hell is wrong with you, woman?! This is Naruto, not Sasuke! Sasuke is the one that’s supposed to cook you dinner and walk you home, dammit!’</em></strong></p>
<p>Inner Sakura was irate, but Sakura kept her wits about her. <em>‘Quiet, you. The dinner was nice, and it was nice to talk to him. Besides, he’s walking me home, not asking me to be his girlfriend.’</em></p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>‘Not yet he’s not! Before you know it he’ll ask you out again and then he’ll try to pull a fast one on you!’</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘You and I both know Naruto isn’t that kind of guy. Even if he did try something, it’s not like we wouldn’t beat some sense into him for it.’</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>
    <em>‘Damn straight!’</em>
  </strong>
</p>
<p>With that, Inner Sakura retreated back into the depths of Sakura’s conscience. The sun was barely beginning to set, painting the sky with strokes of orange, pink, and purple against the blue. Even the clouds yielded to the divine brush of the sun; some remained white, while others had begun to turn grey. Aside from small talk here and there, Naruto and Sakura were comfortably quiet as they walked to her and Ino’s apartment. It was in a different part of the residential district, but not too far from Naruto and Sasuke’s apartment. The two bade each other goodnight before Naruto headed home once more.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sasuke had returned while Naruto had walked Sakura home. The blond was greeted by his roommate eating some of the leftover soup.</p>
<p>“I take it you had company over?”</p>
<p>Naruto froze. “How’d you know?”</p>
<p>Sasuke merely shrugged. “The pans were recently cleaned, and there’s dishes drying. So, who did you have over?”</p>
<p>The blond rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I, um…Sakura…was here…”</p>
<p>The Uchiha cocked an eyebrow, eyeing his roommate with an expectant look, silently asking him to continue.</p>
<p>Naruto tried to calm the blush that had crept onto his cheeks. “I, um, well…I, uh, made her dinner, too.”</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded slowly. “That would explain the used pans and the dishes, then. Well, how did it go? What did you two talk about?” Truth be told, he was curious. He knew Naruto adored Sakura, and figured it couldn’t hurt to see how the bonehead had handled himself.</p>
<p>Naruto breathed a sigh of relief, opting to sit across from his roommate after getting himself a glass of water. “Surprisingly, it went okay. She wanted to ask me about what I’ve been able to find out about my eyes.”</p>
<p>Sasuke cocked his eyebrow again before Naruto continued. “I didn’t tell her about the Uchiha shrine just because I didn’t know if you wanted anyone to know about that. I just told her that I knew about as much as what I’ve been told by everyone.”</p>
<p>Naruto paused, taking a drink of water while Sasuke ate. A moment passed before Sasuke spoke again. “So, she asked about your Rinnegan.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded. “She actually also suggested that I check the library and the archives to see if there’s any books or scrolls on history or mythology, since the Sage of Six Paths was more of a myth than anything, according to her.”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed as he chewed on a grape tomato. “So, are you gonna do it? Or are you gonna say ‘screw it’ like you did every time we had to read up on history back in the academy?”</p>
<p>The blond frowned. “Of course I’m gonna do it! I wanna know what my eyes mean besides being really powerful. I was actually thinking of asking Granny about looking through the Forbidden Scrolls for anything.”</p>
<p>Sasuke nearly choked on his tomato, coughing violently before staring at his roommate like he had sprouted a second head. “The Forbidden Scrolls? Have you lost your mind? Only the Hokage and other select few are allowed to even be in the same <em>room</em> as the Scrolls.”</p>
<p>“I know, I know. Sakura already lectured me about it. I’m only saying I’ll <em>ask</em> Granny about it. I’m not just going to waltz in and try and look for something without permission.”</p>
<p>The Uchiha snorted. “No offense, but I really wouldn’t put it past you to do just that.”</p>
<p>Naruto groaned. “Aw come on, Sasuke, have a little faith in me.”</p>
<p>The raven-haired shinobi chuckled. “I do, but even <em>you</em> have to admit that you can be a bit rash.”</p>
<p>The blond pouted and blew a raspberry, crossing his arms with a huff. Sasuke offered him a commiserating smile, which Naruto returned with his own signature grin.</p>
<p>A lightbulb went off in Naruto’s head. “Oh yeah, how’d your thing with Granny go?”</p>
<p>“About as well as I expected. The Uchiha archives are sealed, and it’ll be at least a few days before I can access them. Something about clans and clan heads, the rights that clan heads have, my situation; it was boring even for me. But, by all rights, I should have full and unrestricted access, but I guess we’ll see how that pans out. I’m hoping that I can find something that’ll help you.”</p>
<p>Naruto rubbed the back of his neck. “Ya know, Sasuke, if it’s too much trouble, you don’t have to do thi—"</p>
<p>“I know I don’t, but I want to.” Naruto blinked at Sasuke’s interruption. A moment passed before Sasuke continued. “You already know what I’m going to say, but I’ll say it anyway. You’re my brother and I’m going to help you.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s mouth hung open before he regarded his brother by bond with a soft smile. “Alright. Thanks, Sasuke. I really do appreciate it.”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed. “Don’t expect me to be such a sap all the time, whiskers.”</p>
<p>The blond chuckled. “I’d rather you save the sappiness for Hinata, anyways, duckbutt.”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s face flushed crimson. “K-kiss my ass.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s raucous laughter filled the apartment.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Konan is shaping up to be a good sensei, dontcha think? As far as the various creatures that Nagato summoned as Pain? Well, I figured he must have collected them if they weren't just omnipresent for all eternity or whatever. Inner Sakura is a fun character, also. I wish she stuck around later, if only as a source of comic relief. As always, thank you for reading! Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmark if you loved it, and feel free to leave a comment! Chapter 10 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Outer Path</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto's training continues, and he runs into Haku, but not before Konan offers him a warning about one of the abilities of the Rinnegan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 10 has landed! Chapter 10 on the 10th day of the 10th month. Happy birthday, Naruto!</p>
<p>Kishimoto owns Naruto, I do not.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Three days had passed since Naruto began training with his new summons. Konoha’s library had recently been reopened, so he took advantage of his time after training to hit the books. His search for information had been relatively fruitless. He scoured for books and scrolls on Konoha’s early history, and even decided to look for books that catalogued the recorded history of the Land of Fire.</p>
<p>The history books all said much of the same thing: Konohagakure was founded by Hashirama Senju, who later became the First Hokage. He was known for his rare Kekkei Genkai, Mokuton, which he used to create the forest surrounding Konoha. The texts did mention another name in regard to the founding of Konoha: Madara Uchiha. The name sounded vaguely familiar, which puzzled Naruto at first, but he chalked it up to having heard it in class one time at the academy. Hashirama’s younger brother, Tobirama, would later become the Second Hokage. There was never any mention of the Rinnegan or the Sage of Six Paths.</p>
<p>Naruto had tried his luck with books on mythology, which didn’t yield any more results than the history books. Most of the books and scrolls he found were geared more towards the study of religion: something he had neither the patience nor the aptitude to even begin to comprehend. He managed to find some texts that examined mythology through a less academic lens, which really only tried to explain away legends of creation and debunk myths regarding unusual phenomena like solar eclipses and blood moons.</p>
<p>He had found a hidden gem: an epic poem of sorts that chronicled the known history of shinobi. Unfortunately, the gem turned out to be a fool’s boon; it only mentioned the Sage of Six Paths in passing, and never elaborated on him in terms of his strength and abilities. It was information he already knew: The Sage was the ancestor of shinobi. Naruto had decided he would try to look through the village archives to see if there was even a smidgeon of information relevant to the Rinnegan, but his expectations were low. That, and he would need to get clearance from the ANBU that managed the archives. The prospect of looking through the Forbidden Scrolls became more and more tempting with every dead end he hit. Sure, his training was going well, but he felt strangely compelled to know what his eyes meant. He tried not to dwell on it too much, knowing he had to keep focused.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Konan was right: Naruto would take to utilizing the summons granted to him by the Rinnegan quickly. Over the course of the three days he had spent training, he had learned to utilize the multi-headed dog more effectively. Konan had told him of its ability to split into multiple dogs, which he had a vague memory of from his fight with Nagato. His experience with his visually linked shadow clones came in handy, as he had been able to control multiple dogs with ease.</p>
<p>Naruto had also managed to summon a few other creatures as well. He had summoned a giant panda, a giant centipede, a giant crab, and a giant snake-tailed chameleon. The chameleon had given him some trouble, since it was an odd fusion of animals: a chameleon with a snake for a tail. The shared field of vision was simple enough to handle, but controlling the tail while also controlling the rest of the beast had proved to be more difficult than he expected. Konan had chalked it up to a combination of lack of experience and the fact that the chameleon is essentially two animals sharing one body, more so than the multi-headed dog. The chameleon half only having one working eye didn’t help, either.</p>
<p>Naruto had just finished a spar with Konan; it wasn’t quite an all-out spar, but Konan allowed the use of Naruto’s Rinnegan abilities, namely the abilities of Tendō and Chikushōdō. Kakashi and Sasuke were going through kenjutsu warm-up exercises. As usual, they were within eye and earshot of Naruto and Konan. Though, Kakashi had begun to loosen the reigns a bit, spending less time monitoring Konan and more time mentoring Sasuke. Naruto stood panting, sweat beading on his brow. Konan looked like she had barely broken a sweat, the only indicator of her fatigue was that her breathing was quicker than when they had started.</p>
<p>The azure-haired woman nodded as she approached her blond protégé. “You’re getting better. You almost had me a couple of times. I have to hand it to you, that was good thinking using the panda to block my paper shuriken.”</p>
<p>Naruto flashed a smile and gave a thumbs up. “Thanks! I think I’m really getting the hang of using the summons on the fly. So, what’s next? Another spar? More shadow clone training?”</p>
<p>Konan shook her head. “I think we should talk about a couple of things.”</p>
<p>The duo found a tree not far off from where Kakashi and Sasuke were training and sat, enjoying the shade. Naruto, ever curious, broke the comfortable silence. “So, what things are we going to talk about?”</p>
<p>Konan took a sip of water from her canteen before she spoke, a hint of solemnity in her tone. “There’s another summon that I haven’t told you about yet because of how dangerous it is.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s jaw set as he stared at the woman. The two Sharingan users paused their training, their ears parking up at Konan’s words. “The summon is called the Gedō Mazō. It’s an immensely powerful summon, but it feeds off the chakra and life force of the summoner. Nagato deliberately summoned it once: after Yahiko died. You remember how Nagato looked, don’t you?”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod. “He was nearly skin and bone…and he had all those black rods sticking out of his back. Did…the Gedō Mazō do that to him?”</p>
<p>Konan spoke quietly. “Yes, it did. After he was stabbed…” A far-off look appeared in her amber eyes. “I saw something that still haunts me sometimes.” Naruto waited patiently as Konan drew a quivering breath. “A kind of ethereal dragon emerged from its mouth. It passed through the Ame shinobi who were loyal to Hanzō the Salamander. When it did…it ripped their souls from their bodies.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s eyes widened beneath his sunglasses, his breath hitching. He tried to picture the sight in his head, but he knew it wouldn’t equate to what Konan had witnessed firsthand. He swallowed hard as she continued. “Before that day, the statue only ever appeared when Nagato felt that we were about to die. Even then, it seemed to manifest on its own; I don’t remember him ever summoning it before that day. It just…appeared.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded slowly, mentally noting the similarities between this Gedō Mazō and the Nine-Tailed Fox, at least in terms of when they appear. While he didn’t like the idea of being stabbed like Nagato had, and the thought of ripping out people’s souls with an ethereal dragon made him shudder, Naruto couldn’t help but wonder just how powerful this summon could be. He was brought out of his ruminations by Konan’s soft voice.</p>
<p>“That’s not what makes it dangerous to <em>you</em>, though. Or rather…the two of you.”</p>
<p>Naruto stiffened. “What…do you mean?”</p>
<p>“You’re the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Gedō Mazō can also be used to extract Tailed Beasts from their hosts. That was what the Akatsuki was doing, as I’m sure you remember.”</p>
<p>The blond nodded stiffly, remembering what happened when they went searching for Gaara. He was slightly taken aback by Konan’s knowledge of his tenant, but given that they knew about Gaara and his own tenant, he figured it wasn’t too far of a stretch to assume they knew about the Nine Tails. He chose his next words carefully, his voice soft but full of trepidation. “So…does that mean…?”</p>
<p>Konan took a deep breath. “It’s possible, if not likely, that you could die if you summoned the Gedō Mazō, Naruto. Not only would it drain your life energy from you, but it’s very possible that it could extract your Tailed Beast in the process.”</p>
<p>Naruto stared at the blue haired woman before he turned his gaze to the grass in front of him. The immense ramifications of summoning the Gedō Mazō, even as a last resort, hit Naruto like one of Sakura’s chakra-enhanced punches. The prospect of death wasn’t unfamiliar to him, but he still didn’t like the thought of dying and leaving everyone behind. He wanted to protect all of his precious people and the village, and he couldn’t do that if he was dead. Death was one thing, but losing his Tailed Beast could have many unforeseen consequences. It could be let loose, or worse: fall into the wrong hands and be sealed into or used by someone who could only wish destruction upon the world.</p>
<p>Konan gently placed her hand on Naruto’s shoulder, causing the blond to visibly flinch. He stared into her soft amber eyes as she spoke softly. “Naruto. If only for yourself, I need you to promise that you won’t summon that thing.”</p>
<p>The blond gave a small nod. “I promise. Not even as a last resort.” Konan regarded him with a small smile and a gentle squeeze of his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Thank you. Now that we’ve had that conversation, I think we can move on to something else. The next path we’ll go over is Gakidō.” Konan rose to her feet, making her way over to Kakashi and Sasuke with Naruto in tow. “Defense is just as important as offense, as I’m sure you’ve been told. Do you remember what Gakidō’s ability was?”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed, cupping his chin. “Was that the one with the weapons and the extra arms?”</p>
<p>“Not quite; that was Shuradō. Gakidō has the ability to absorb chakra.”</p>
<p>The blond snapped his fingers as he remembered. “Oh yeah! It absorbs chakra from ninjutsu, right?”</p>
<p>Konan nodded as Sasuke and Kakashi turned their attention to the duo that had approached them. “That’s right. That includes elemental ninjutsu along with pure chakra.” The azure haired woman turned to the two Sharingan users. “I’ll need your help with this, if you two don’t mind.”</p>
<p>Kakashi responded after Sasuke gave him an expectant look. “What did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>A sheet of paper emerged from the Ame woman’s sleeve, folding itself into a small crane and landing in her hand. “Well, since my specialization is in my paper usage, perhaps you and Sasuke could use some of your elemental jutsu on Naruto.”</p>
<p>“Wait, is this a spar or something?” The blond piped up.</p>
<p>Sasuke doubled down on his friend’s inquiry. “Is it?”</p>
<p>Konan shook her head as Kakashi cocked an eyebrow. “Not quite. Naruto, you’ll stand there while Kakashi and Sasuke use elemental ninjutsu on you. You’ll have to put up the barrier to absorb them using Gakidō. If you fail, you’ll either be injured or you’ll have to use a substitution to get out of harm’s way.”</p>
<p>Kakashi’s eyebrow remained in its raised position as a wry grin crept across Sasuke’s face. Naruto, however, was less than satisfied with the arrangement. “Wait, what?! You mean I’m just target practice for these two?! How is that supposed to help me?!” He fumed.</p>
<p>Konan simply admired the paper crane in her palm as she spoke calmly. “Simple. I’ll tell you how Nagato explained it to me first, then you’ll get a chance to do a dry run, then your teammate and sensei will use their jutsu on you. Does that sound fair?”</p>
<p>Naruto grumbled in reluctant agreement as Kakashi’s eyebrow lowered back to its original position. He had to admit, her idea was strikingly similar to something he would have come up with. <em>‘Maybe she has a future as a sensei,’</em> he mused to himself. “Very well then. Sasuke and I will be on standby while you give it a shot, Naruto.”</p>
<p>The Rinnegan user nodded, turning his attention to Konan. Her paper crane unfolded itself, returning back into her sleeve as she spoke. “Creating the chakra absorption barrier is similar to creating a barrier with Shinra Tensei. The difference is that instead of constantly pushing away from you, you focus on using the barrier as a buffer.”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head, a puzzled expression on his face. “I don’t get it. I make a barrier to absorb? That doesn’t really make sense to me.”</p>
<p>Konan pondered for a moment, choosing her next words carefully. “You’re a sage, yes?” Naruto nodded his head quickly, a grin plastered on his face. “When you use Senjutsu, how do you gather chakra for that?”</p>
<p>“Well, I have to gather natural energy first by sitting really still and tuning myself into nature. Then I combine it with my own chakra, and boom! Sage chakra!”</p>
<p>“So, you absorb natural energy, then?”</p>
<p>“Well, yeah. The thing is, I have to take a second and tune into nature first. It’s not instant like Pervy Sage had talked about for a master.”</p>
<p>Konan blinked. “’Pervy Sage’?”</p>
<p>The blond rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Ah, yeah. I meant Master Jiraiya. I called him Pervy Sage because of his ‘research.’”</p>
<p>Konan nodded slowly; her eyebrow raised. “I…see. Well. Using the absorption barrier can be compared to gathering natural energy, except you’re absorbing chakra. From what Nagato told me, you should feel the chakra being pulled into you. As far as I could tell, the chakra that’s absorbed can be integrated directly into your own chakra network.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed. “That makes sense. It sounds like a quicker version of gathering nature energy. So, I just focus on absorbing and pulling instead of pushing away?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Let’s do a dry run first: try raising both of your hands like you were about to perform Shinra Tensei, but focus on trying to absorb, like you said.”</p>
<p>Naruto brought a palm over his fist before bringing both of his hands up, palms facing away from him. He focused his chakra in front of him, envisioning the barrier. Once he felt the barrier, he immediately flipped the mental switch. For a moment, he felt the air around him pulse like when he had first tried Shinra Tensei. This time, however, the pulse continued as a low thrum. He looked to see the that the air around him was almost shimmering, not at all like what happened with Shinra Tensei. He dropped the barrier to see Konan and Kakashi regarding him with their usual stoicism, while Sasuke had stopped sharpening his ninjato to stare at him.</p>
<p>“Like that?” Naruto asked.</p>
<p>Konan nodded before turning to Kakashi and Sasuke. “Would you two do the honors?”</p>
<p>Kakashi hummed as Sasuke sheathed his ninjato. The duo approached Naruto as he braced himself, his hands raised in preparation. Konan stepped back to avoid getting caught in the middle. The two Sharingan users exchanged a glance before flying through hand seals and bringing a hand to their mouths and breathing deeply. A massive fireball barreled towards Naruto, making his eyes widen underneath his sunglasses, which glowed orange with the reflection of the fireball.</p>
<p>Naruto immediately focused his chakra, forming the barrier and flipping the switch. He saw the air shimmering, and braced himself for the fireball, ready to perform a substitution to avoid being cooked. Instead of a searing pain, he felt a rush of chakra entering his system. The fireball in front of him collided with the shimmering barrier, vanishing into his hands. Naruto’s eyes widened even more under his sunglasses.</p>
<p>Just as the last of the fire was absorbed, Naruto heard what sounded like a massive flock of birds chirping. Not a split second later, he saw Sasuke charging towards him, left hand enveloped with lightning chakra, his Sharingan blazing. Naruto braced himself again as Sasuke roared. “Chidori!”</p>
<p>Just as Sasuke collided with the barrier, he looked down to see the lightning chakra being sucked away from his hand, his crimson eyes widening. Naruto felt the jolt of the electrically charged chakra entering his system. The absorption barrier didn’t stop Sasuke’s momentum, however. Naruto acted quickly. “Shinra Tensei!”</p>
<p>Sasuke was sent flying backwards. He managed to gain his bearings in the nick of time, skidding backwards on his feet. Sasuke stared at his teammate, his wide crimson eyes returning back to their normal onyx color. Naruto breathed deeply, trying to steady his pounding heartbeat that was fueled by the adrenaline coursing through his veins. “H-holy shit,” he breathed.</p>
<p>Naruto was broken out of his stupor by two sets of footsteps. He snapped his head towards Kakashi and Konan, their faces unmarred by the surprise they were feeling internally. Sasuke trailed behind them, having regained his bearings.</p>
<p>Kakashi was the first to speak. “I have to admit, Naruto, even though I haven’t been as present as I would have liked, it’s quite remarkable how quickly you’ve been able to hone your abilities.” His tone was even, as expected, but Naruto could tell by the glint in his eye how proud his sensei was.</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded in agreement as Konan spoke. “Kakashi is right: it is remarkable how quickly you’ve taken to the abilities granted to you by the Rinnegan. To be honest, you almost rival Nagato in how quickly you’ve achieved proficiency.” Naruto flashed his signature grin as she continued. “There are a couple more things I want to cover before we call it a day.” Konan turned to her silver-haired counterpart. “Do you have some chakra paper?”</p>
<p>Kakashi produced a sheet, which Konan took and thanked him for before presenting it to Naruto. The blond cocked his head as he took it, a puzzled expression on his face. “Chakra paper? But I already know my affinity: it’s wind.”</p>
<p>Konan was quick to correct him. “<em>Was</em> wind. Try channeling chakra into the paper now.”</p>
<p>Naruto frowned before shrugging his shoulders and channeling chakra into the paper. Instead of the paper splitting in half lengthwise like he had expected, it split into four squares. Each of the squares reacted differently: one turned to dust, one dampened, one was set aflame, and one crumpled up. Naruto and Sasuke’s jaws went slack, while Kakashi’s visible eye widened. Konan simply nodded.</p>
<p>“Impossible…” Kakashi muttered.</p>
<p>“That’s what I thought at first, too. But Nagato had immense control over all the basic nature transformations. He also learned the jutsu that Jiraiya-sensei taught him remarkably quick.”</p>
<p>The two Sharingan users snapped their attention to Konan, who stiffened slightly under their gaze. “Did you just say ‘Jiraiya-<em>sensei?</em>’” Kakashi probed. Naruto quickly told the condensed version of the history of Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato. He cursed himself for not telling them sooner, but saw them visibly relax after he finished.</p>
<p>Naruto turned his attention back to Konan. “So, what does this mean?”</p>
<p>“This means that you should be able to learn elemental ninjutsu faster than before, particularly those that weren’t your primary affinity beforehand.”</p>
<p>“In other words, you’d have an easier time learning jutsu like Chidori, Gōkakyu, Mizurappa…you get the idea,” Kakashi explained, finishing on a bit of a resigned note.</p>
<p>Naruto cupped his chin, humming as he nodded.</p>
<p>“Kakashi is correct. Now then, before we go over the last thing, send a few shadow clones off to practice the chakra absorption barrier.” Naruto nodded and created fourteen clones, sending them off to practice slamming a Rasengan into absorption barriers. Konan gestured for him to follow. “Come on, let’s let these two have some time for more kenjutsu training.” Konan and her protégé went back towards the stream as Kakashi and Sasuke returned to drilling kenjutsu techniques.</p>
<p>“The last thing we’ll work on today is something that you’ve seen and experienced before. This ability isn’t from any of the six paths I’ve mentioned, either,” the azure haired woman began.</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head. “It’s not? Then which path is it? Wait, is it the whole enhanced perception thing? Cause I already know that. That was one of the first things I figured out, actually.”</p>
<p>Konan shook her head. “Not exactly. Though, good on you for discovering that for yourself. The ability we’ll work on next is part of Gedō.” Naruto stiffened at the mention of the seventh path as the woman continued. “Summoning the Gedō Mazō is, obviously, one of the abilities of the Gedō. We’ve already had our discussion about that summon, so don’t worry. The ability I’m referring to is the ability to create the black rods.”</p>
<p>“Black rods? You mean…those things that Pain stabbed me with?”</p>
<p>Konan winced slightly, remembering that Nagato had used them against the jinchūriki. “Yes…those rods.”</p>
<p>Naruto stared at the ground, remembering being pinned down and seeing Hinata impaled by one of the black rods that Pain had produced. He was brought out of his thoughts by Konan’s voice. “Those very same rods had pierced Nagato’s back when he communed with the Gedō Mazō. They were also the way that Nagato was able to control the bodies. He would send chakra through them at a distance.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded. “Yeah, I remember. That was how I found you two. I, uh…stabbed myself with one of the rods and traced his chakra signature.”</p>
<p>Naruto rubbed the back of his neck as she continued. “Do you remember what happened when you were stabbed with them?”</p>
<p>“I…think so. I remember being able to feel his chakra. I, uh…also saw his eyes.” Naruto shuddered as Konan’s eyes softened. “It… sort of felt like they were looking into my soul…”</p>
<p>Konan let out a sigh, taking note of how his mind was somewhere else. “I won’t pretend to understand, but I know that must have been jarring for you.” Naruto gave a small nod and composed himself before the blue haired woman continued. “The rods can be used as weapons; you can use them as swords, a staff, or throw them like kunai or senbon needles. You experienced the secondary use of them: injecting an opponent with chakra to disrupt their chakra network and incapacitate them.”</p>
<p>“So, how do I use them? Or, create them, I guess?” Naruto remembered seeing said rods grow out of Pain’s sleeve and being snapped off once they reached the desired length.</p>
<p>“The best explanation that Nagato could give me was that he willed them into existence.” Her voice carried a hint of dejectedness. Naruto blew a raspberry.</p>
<p>“Well <em>that’s </em>helpful,” he said sardonically.</p>
<p>Konan shrugged. “Well, maybe simplicity is the key here. It could work just as well for you. Just face your palm outwards and will the rod into existence. Give it a try.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s face contorted into a doubtful expression, but he conceded with a shrug and brought his hand up in front of him. He focused, concentrating on willing the rod to appear. Just as he was about to drop his hand, a dull black rod grew from the middle of his palm to about the size of Sasuke’s ninjato. With a yelp, Naruto fell back onto his rear and stared at the rod that was still attached to his hand, horrified.</p>
<p>Konan was quick to try and calm him down. “It's alright. Just grab onto it and it will break and separate from your hand.”</p>
<p>Naruto shakily tightened his grip around the cool, metal rod. It snapped from its point of emergence with surprising ease, leaving a jagged point where it had broken and no evidence of where it emerged from his hand. He spun the rod around, so the pointed end was facing away from him, examining the makeshift weapon with wide eyes. “Holy shit…”</p>
<p>“Well, looks like I was right.” Konan’s voice carried a touch of mirth.</p>
<p>The blond grumbled in reluctant agreement, giving the rod a few cursory swings. It was surprisingly lightweight, making it easy to maneuver. <em>‘Maybe I should ask Kakashi-sensei for kenjutsu lessons,’</em> he mused. He had never considered the possibility of using a sword of any kind, much less one that could quite literally grow out of his arm, but the thought of being able to create weapons on the fly did intrigue him. That, and there was a great degree of practicality in being able to disrupt an opponent’s chakra system, especially if he were to be assigned to a capture mission.</p>
<p>“Well, I think this is a good place to call it for today,” Konan announced, breaking Naruto out of his ruminations. He smiled and gave a single, quick nod before turning his attention back to the rod in his hand.</p>
<p>“Er, how do I get rid of this thing?” He waved the rod around.</p>
<p>“Nagato never told me exactly how, but I would imagine it’s no different than dispelling a clone,” she offered.</p>
<p>Naruto hummed, focusing on trying to dispel the rod. Not a moment later, the rod disintegrated into a black powder that faded into the breeze. He turned to Konan, who simply shrugged. Naruto returned the shrug before making his way towards his Sharingan-wielding comrades, with Konan in tow.</p>
<p>“Hey sensei! We’re done for the day!” He called, causing both Kakashi and Sasuke to pause their small spar. Sasuke sheathed his ninjato while Kakashi stowed his kunai and turned to Konan, who nodded in acknowledgment.</p>
<p>“Ah. Well then. I suppose we ought to break for today as well, Sasuke.” The Uchiha hummed in agreement.</p>
<p>“I have a proposal, Sasuke,” Kakashi began.</p>
<p>“What sort of proposal, sensei?”</p>
<p>“We’ve been doing a lot of kenjutsu training, which is all fine and good. But, to be honest, kenjutsu was never really my area of expertise.”</p>
<p>Sasuke frowned slightly. “You’ve taught me quite a bit, though. Using the Sharingan and sparring with it active was especially helpful.”</p>
<p>Kakashi nodded. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I’m able to help you with that. Especially as a fellow Sharingan user. However, I think I know someone who can take your skills in kenjutsu to the next level.” Sasuke’s brows shot up, Naruto cooed in anticipation.</p>
<p>The silver haired jōnin smiled beneath his mask. “Let’s meet here again tomorrow. Same time, as usual. Naruto, I think we’ll start working on learning some other jutsu. Maybe I’ll even teach you Chidori.” He finished with a wink. Naruto beamed, wearing a face-splitting smile. Kakashi turned to Konan, who nodded once again. “Great. See you tomorrow.” Kakashi and Konan disappeared in a swirl of leaves and paper, respectively.</p>
<p>Naruto turned to his friend. “I’m gonna head to the library to see if I can find any more books that even mention the Rinnegan or the Sage. You gonna stay here and train?”</p>
<p>“I was gonna head to the Hokage Tower and see if I could bother Lady Tsunade about getting access to the archives.”</p>
<p>“Don’t you think she’ll kick your ass for bothering her?”</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged. “Not if I’m polite. That way if I piss her off, she’ll just smash her desk or something.”</p>
<p>Naruto snorted. “Or she’ll smash <em>you</em>.”</p>
<p>Sasuke visibly tensed, shuddering at the thought of being on the receiving end of one of her beatings. “I…well, maybe. But still. I need to get access to them. Who knows what kind of information is in there that I never knew about? I’ll see you at home. Do you mind making dinner?”</p>
<p>“Sure. Fish?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, sounds good. Later, blondie.” With that, Sasuke disappeared in a swirl of small electrical sparks.</p>
<p>Naruto blinked and wondered just when Sasuke had learned to use Shunshin. He shrugged it off, making a note to learn it for himself later. Naruto dispelled his clones, taking a moment to process all the information from their memories before setting off for the Konoha Library.</p>
<hr/>
<p>As fruitless as his search had been, Naruto kept looking. He wanted to be thorough and leave no stone unturned. He thumbed through the reference section, looking for an encyclopedia, a collection of memoirs, or even an old history textbook that had the possibility of mentioning the Sage of Six Paths or the Rinnegan. He grabbed a few books and was about to sit down when he heard a familiar voice.</p>
<p>“Naruto?”</p>
<p>He turned to the voice’s origin: a head of shoulder length coal-colored hair. “Haku?” Naruto regarded his friend. He wore a teal blue short-sleeved kimono with cream colored trim that was secured with a brown obi. It looked similar to what he had worn when Naruto first met him, but he had forgone the long sleeves in favor of a mesh armor undershirt that was visible through the V-neck of his kimono. He also wore a brown hakama, which he had tucked into a pair of high-topped sandals that looked like Sasuke’s. His Konoha headband was the same shade of blue that Naruto and his teammates had worn when they were genin.</p>
<p>Haku gave a small smile, setting his books down on the table as they both sat. “It’s a pleasant surprise to see you here. Sticking with the sunglasses, huh?”</p>
<p>Naruto returned the small smile and shrugged. “Yeah, I, uh, I like the look. I figured I should get more serious about stuff, so, uh, yeah. I decided to hit the books. What about you? You studying things that Granny told you to?”</p>
<p>A small chuckle escaped the androgynous young man. “You know she hates it when you call her that. But yes, she assigned me to read up on medical techniques that aren’t medical ninjutsu. That and chakra control theories; she said my control has been solid, but it’s nowhere near Sakura’s.” Haku eyed the thick books and scrolls that Naruto had gathered. “I see you’ve taken to the reference section?”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek, a sheepish grin on his face. “Er, yeah. I wanted to, uh…research some older ninja. And stuff.” He opened one of the books, an encyclopedia, to the index.</p>
<p>Haku cocked an eyebrow. “I…see.” He opened his own book, scanning through the table of contents for the section he was looking for. The next few moments were quiet, save for the ruffle of pages turning and a few frustrated groans from Naruto.</p>
<p>The coal haired medic broke the silence first. “Can I ask why you’re researching ninja of the past?”</p>
<p>Naruto froze mid page turn as his jaw set. He swallowed hard as he tried to think of the best answer to give without revealing his secret. “I…want to learn more about the Sage of Six Paths.” He winced internally, knowing it was only a half truth.</p>
<p>“The Sage of Six Paths? What piqued your interest in him?” Haku cocked his head.</p>
<p>Sweat beaded on Naruto’s forehead. “I—well, y’see—the thing is—I’m hoping to—” He finished with an exasperated sigh, hanging his head slightly. Haku merely watched his friend, his expression slowly twisting into one of concern.</p>
<p>Naruto struggled to keep his thoughts under control. His Rinnegan were made an S-class secret, which meant nobody was to know about them unless given the proper clearance or the circumstances demanded it. Haku was also his friend and one of his most precious people. He hated keeping secrets from his friends; he also hated lying to them or telling half-truths. Naruto wanted to tell Haku, who was no doubt suspicious by now, the <em>real</em> reason why he wore sunglasses all the time and why he was researching topics he normally wouldn’t have cared for.</p>
<p>Naruto’s jaw set before he met Haku’s chocolate eyes. To hell with the S-class secret, Haku was his friend and he trusted him. His voice was barely above a whisper. “Haku, I need to show you something. But you can’t react in any way. Okay?”</p>
<p>Haku’s face set into a neutral expression, though his eyes conveyed his understanding of the situation. He gave a single small nod.</p>
<p>Naruto looked around to make sure they weren’t being watched. Once he deemed the coast was clear, he took a deep breath and pulled his sunglasses down his nose, peering over the top of them at his friend. Haku caught Naruto’s purple rippled gaze. His poker face was impeccable, and his only reaction was a barely noticeable hitch in his breathing. He gave another small nod, prompting Naruto to return his sunglasses to their original position on his face.</p>
<p>Haku took a deep breath, turning a page in the book laid in front of him. His voice was quiet, but carried a hint of curiosity. “Should I ask?”</p>
<p>Naruto kept his voice low. “You can, but I can’t tell you everything…yet.”</p>
<p>The coal haired medic nodded. “Dōjutsu?”</p>
<p>“Yep. Rinnegan.”</p>
<p>“Is this connected to the Sage of Six Paths somehow?”</p>
<p>The two friends relaxed slightly, though they still kept their voices down so as not to disturb others. Naruto turned a page as he answered. “Well. He was super powerful, being the ancestor of shinobi and all. He also had the Rinnegan, and I was hoping I could find some stuff about him.”</p>
<p>Haku nodded as he opened a notepad, jotting down some information from the book he was reading. “What were you hoping to find?”</p>
<p>Naruto heaved an exasperated sigh as he shut the encyclopedia. He unrolled a scroll containing memoirs of a shinobi from the early days of Konoha. “Anything, really. Even a mention of his eyes. I know they were part of the reason he became legendary, but I want to know what they mean, ya know?”</p>
<p>Haku nodded, jotting down more notes. He looked back up at Naruto as he spoke sheepishly. “Oh yeah. Uh, don’t…mention this to Granny. She might flip her lid. If anything, I’ll tell her the next time I see her. Which might be soon. But yeah. My…eyes are supposed to be secret. So, yeah. Keep it quiet, okay?”</p>
<p>The coal haired young man regarded his friend with a small smile. “Of course, Naruto. Though, I’m afraid if Lady Tsunade decides to discipline you, I likely won’t be able to help.” His tone was apologetic, if a little too chipper. Naruto chuckled nervously as he thanked Haku.</p>
<p>Naruto spent a couple of more hours poring over various texts while Haku studied his own materials. As expected, the Sage of Six Paths was either never mentioned, or was merely mentioned in passing. Of course, there was also no mention of the Rinnegan in any book or scroll. Haku empathized with his friend, as he had spent many an hour poring over medical texts hoping to learn something that would help him improve, only to find himself more frustrated.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The two parted ways amicably, with Haku staying behind to finish his studying while Naruto went home to fix dinner. He had beaten Sasuke home, but only just. The Uchiha arrived just as Naruto was beginning to cook the fish.</p>
<p>Sasuke had pestered Tsunade plenty about gaining access to the Uchiha archives, but bureaucracy had a way of making things more difficult than they should be. However, being in the good graces of the Hokage did mean that she was willing to pull some strings to make things move faster. He anticipated it would take no more than two days before he had full, unrestricted access to all the information the Uchiha clan had collected over the years.</p>
<p>Naruto had proven himself to be a good cook, and Sasuke had nothing but praise for his roommate’s ability to prepare fish in such a simple but delicious way. Naruto hadn’t told Sasuke about his encounter with Haku, much less the fact that he revealed his S-class secret to him. He figured he would cross that bridge when they came to it.</p>
<p>The blond was restless for a little while; his mind was abuzz with questions and thoughts of how his abilities had been progressing, but a dreamless sleep eventually took him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so, Naruto's secret is revealed to Haku. I hope you're enjoying this training arc I've got going, it's a lot of fun to write interactions between Naruto and Konan and him discovering his new abilities. That, and I think it makes sense that he would take time to figure out what the Rinnegan can do before just jumping into a bunch of missions. Thanks for reading! Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmark if you loved it, and feel free to leave a comment! Chapter 11 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Blades and Lightning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sasuke meets his new instructor. Naruto continues his training and quest for information about his Rinnegan.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I live! Sorry about the little mini-hiatus. Stuff went down; butterflies, a fox, some cheese, you know how it goes. Without further ado, here's chapter 11!</p>
<p>Hmm...Nope! Still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day began as normally as it could for Sasuke and Naruto: breakfast, a bit of small talk, and the trek to Training Ground Three. Konan and Kakashi were waiting for them. This time, Kakashi went with Konan to help Naruto with nature transformations other than wind. Sasuke was told to wait for his instructor to arrive, which he acknowledged, albeit with the slightest hint of reluctance.</p>
<p>He leaned against a tree and drew a kunai to sharpen it. Just as he produced his sharpening stone, a female ANBU agent flickered in front of him. The woman had waist-length purple hair framing a face hidden behind a mask. Said mask was porcelain colored and resembled a cat which bore three red stripes: a vertical stripe on the forehead, and one on each cheek. On her back was a standard issue ANBU ninjato.</p>
<p>She stood perfectly still with crossed arms as Sasuke stepped away from the tree. He stowed his kunai and studied the ANBU, looking for any signs of apprehension or subtle movements that would indicate an impending attack. Seeing none, he spoke.</p>
<p>“Are you my new instructor?” He was met with silence from the woman. A gentle breeze blew through, rustling leaves and catching their hair.</p>
<p>The woman’s only response was to draw her ninjato and point it at Sasuke, who immediately gripped his own. The ANBU spoke placidly to the Uchiha. “No Sharingan.”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s face set into a more serious expression as he drew his blade, falling into a neutral stance. The purple haired ANBU did the same. The two stood motionless, waiting for the other to strike. Sweat beaded on Sasuke’s brow as his grip on his sword tightened and relaxed rhythmically.</p>
<p>A gentle breeze blew once more. In an instant, the two charged each other. Their blades met with a loud clang. Sasuke pulled back, repositioning himself to swing. Not a second later, the ANBU’s sword arced toward his right side. He barely parried the blow, jumping back from his opponent.</p>
<p>This woman was more skilled than she let on. He shifted into a more defensive posture. As he did, the ANBU charged again. He swung once more, trying to catch her off guard as she barreled towards him. He saw his blade connect but felt no resistance, nor did he hear tearing fabric or clanging metal. Sasuke whipped his head around to see the woman readying another strike, this time for his neck. He grunted, twisting his body to block the blow. The Uchiha jumped back once more.</p>
<p>Just as he regained his footing, the ANBU launched an onslaught of attacks. Sasuke cursed as he blocked each one, some coming a little too close for comfort. He twisted and arched his body to dodge the attacks he couldn’t parry or block with his ninjato.</p>
<p>Sasuke jumped away from his attacker, his heart pounding in his chest as adrenaline coursed through his veins. He panted, his lungs fighting for precious oxygen. His opponent showed no signs of fatigue; even her breathing was hidden by her mask. She shifted into a defensive stance: an invitation for Sasuke to attack.</p>
<p>He tightened his grip on his sword, charging full speed at his opponent. The ANBU stood there, motionless, waiting for him. Sasuke unleashed his frustration, aiming strikes at her sides, her neck, her legs, and her head. He was fast, but she was faster. Every one of his blows were blocked or parried. The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the training ground. Sasuke aimed one last strike at her torso, slashing upwards from right to left. He grunted as she intercepted his strike with a resounding clang. The Uchiha pushed off once more.</p>
<p>Sasuke tried to steady his racing heart, taking deep breaths. He braced himself to defend as the woman charged him. He saw an opening and struck. The blade connected, but there was no resistance, no sound of impact. Sasuke’s eyes widened, holding his ninjato in a white-knuckle grip. He whipped his head around to block the inevitable attack that was coming—</p>
<p>And was met with the tip of the ANBU’s ninjato pointed at his throat. Sasuke turned to see two copies of the woman, each holding their own blade. He lowered his ninjato, his mouth drawn into a tight line as he heaved a sigh through his nose.</p>
<p>“I concede,” he ground out. The three blades dropped as two of the copies disappeared in puffs of smoke.</p>
<p>“An enemy won’t simply let you concede. If this were a real fight, you would be dead,” she said plainly as she sheathed her ninjato.</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded slowly, wearing a pensive expression as he sheathed his own blade. He took a deep breath to steady himself before bowing deeply to his opponent. “I understand.”</p>
<p>As he rose, the woman stood silent and motionless once more, her arms crossed in front of her. Sasuke studied her, looking for any body language that would suggest a hint of fatigue or a shift in attitude. Finding none, and finding himself surprised at her stoicism, he cleared his throat.</p>
<p>“Can I ask for your name?”</p>
<p>A pregnant silence passed before the woman walked towards Sasuke, making him flinch. Once she had closed the distance between them, she removed her ANBU mask. Sasuke found her to be pretty; her brown eyes and fuchsia colored lipstick only added to that.</p>
<p>“My name is Yūgao Uzuki. I’ll be your kenjutsu instructor for a little while, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>“Thank you for teaching me.” He bowed once more.</p>
<p>Yūgao gave a single nod as Sasuke straightened. “I have to say, it was interesting to spar against someone who’s left-handed. Your fundamentals aren’t bad. Your stances are solid, and you know to put power behind your strikes. However, it’s clear that you rely quite a bit on your Sharingan. I will admit, the Sharingan can be an immensely useful tool, but it should be more of an ace up your sleeve, as opposed to your first response to a situation.”</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded. “Never reveal your true power immediately.”</p>
<p>“Precisely. Your reaction times are quick when you’re under pressure, and your defense is solid. While your attacks have a good amount of power behind them, they’re slower than you think.”</p>
<p>A small sigh escaped the Uchiha as he nodded.</p>
<p>“We’ll refine your basic skills. That way when you apply your Sharingan to them, you’ll be that much more effective.” She finished with a small smile, which Sasuke returned.</p>
<p>“I’m ready.”</p>
<p>“Good. Let’s get started.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>“Wait, you were <em>serious</em> about teaching me Chidori?” Naruto’s brows shot up.</p>
<p>“Well, yes and no,” Kakashi said plainly.</p>
<p>“What does that mean?!” Naruto frowned.</p>
<p>“Do you know how I came up with Chidori, Naruto?”</p>
<p>The blond opened his mouth to speak, but snapped it shut and shook his head after realizing he didn’t. Konan’s interest piqued as she turned to the jōnin.</p>
<p>“Believe it or not, I was trying to add lightning chakra to the Rasengan. It failed spectacularly, of course. But I did manage to create the Chidori as a result.” Kakashi finished with one of his trademark masked smiles.</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head. “Wait. <em>You</em> were trying to add lighting chakra to the Rasengan? How did you learn Rasengan in the first place?”</p>
<p>“Minato-sensei wanted to teach it to me so I could add elemental chakra to it. He wanted to see how elemental chakra could increase its effectiveness.”</p>
<p>“Like my Rasenshuriken?”</p>
<p>“Exactly. Since you now have the capability to use all five nature release types, it would certainly be worth it for you to experiment with adding different types of nature chakra to your Rasengan. As you’ve likely figured out, we’ll start with lightning.”</p>
<p>Naruto slapped a hand over his fist, giving a firm nod. A smile tugged at Konan’s mouth as she marveled at his limitless resolve.</p>
<p>Kakashi stepped forward. “We’ll start with creating lightning chakra.” He quickly weaved through hand seals, finishing by gripping his right forearm while his palm was facing skyward. “First, gather raw chakra in your hand, but without forming a sphere for Rasengan.” A body of raw chakra manifested in Kakashi’s palm, looking like a bright blue flame. “Once you have a decent amount of raw chakra, try converting it into lightning chakra.” As he spoke, the raw chakra transformed into a mass of chirping sparks. “The key will be stability. Lightning, by nature, can be difficult to manifest and control. It’s not quite the same as wind.” The lightning in his hand dissipated. “However, given how quickly you’ve taken to your Rinnegan abilities, I think you ought to be able to channel lightning chakra relatively easily.” He finished with a masked smile.</p>
<p>Naruto flashed his own smile and gave a nod. He brought his right hand up and started gathering chakra. He fought his natural instinct to shape it into a sphere and form a Rasengan, instead trying to mimic the blue flame that Kakashi had created.</p>
<p>Ignoring the conditioned instinct to add wind chakra, Naruto focused and tried to channel lightning into the blue mass of energy in his palm. He drilled holes in his hand with his gaze until he heard the same chirping he heard earlier. Naruto watched in awe as he saw the blue flame change into a mass of lightning chakra that wrapped around his hand and wrist.</p>
<p>“Sensei! Look! Lightning chakra! I’m doing it!”</p>
<p>Konan and Kakashi both smiled. The latter held his hand up. “Very good. Cut the flow for now.” Naruto did as he was told, and the chirping slowly quieted. “So. Here’s what I would like you to do: create some shadow clones and practice creating lightning chakra first. Once you have that part, try adding lightning chakra to the Rasengan, much like you did with Rasenshuriken.” Naruto gave a sharp nod, wearing his signature smile.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about creating a full-on technique like Rasenshuriken just yet. Focus on adding lightning chakra for the time being.” Naruto gave another sharp nod before Kakashi continued. “The other thing I want you to do is have one or two shadow clones study this scroll closely.” Naruto cocked his head. Kakashi quickly produced a scroll from one of his vest pouches and tossed it to his student. Naruto examined the scroll, noticing the kanji for “water” written on it.</p>
<p>“Is this what I think it is?” Naruto asked, waving the scroll.</p>
<p>“If you’re thinking it’s a water jutsu scroll, then you’d be correct. It has the basics of creating water chakra, as well as a few basic jutsu like Mizurappa, Suidan, Mizudeppō, Suijinheki, and Mizu Shuriken.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a sharp nod before throwing his hands into the familiar hand seal, creating seventy-five shadow clones. He sent all of them away to practice molding lightning chakra and adding it to the Rasengan. He created two more, handing the water scroll to one and sending them to the creek to study and practice. The blond turned back to his sensei, waiting for his next instructions.</p>
<p>“I’d like to try something. I’m going to teach you an earth jutsu: Tsuchi Nami. It’s in direct contrast to wind; and even though your affinity test showed you have an affinity for all the basic nature transformations, I’d like to see how easily you learn it.”</p>
<p>“Alright, how do I do it?”</p>
<p>“It’s fairly straightforward. The only hand seal is Serpent. After that, you slam your hand onto the ground and channel chakra into it, focusing on making the ground move in waves, as the name suggests. It takes a considerable amount of chakra, but given your reserves, I don’t think you’ll have any problems. Try it out.”</p>
<p>Naruto immediately slapped his hands together in the Serpent hand seal before slamming a palm onto the ground. “Doton: Tsuchi Nami no Jutsu!” Despite the gusto in his cry, the ground only wobbled beneath Naruto and his two instructors. He rose from his crouched position, a frown darkening his face.</p>
<p>Kakashi offered a sympathetic smile. “We’ll work on that. From here I’ll turn you over to Konan. I’m going to check up on Sasuke and see how his supplemental instruction is going.” With that, Kakashi disappeared in a flicker, leaving Naruto and Konan to continue honing his Rinnegan abilities.</p>
<p>“Naruto, I would like to try something, if that’s alright with you.”</p>
<p>“Sure, what is it?”</p>
<p>“So far, we’ve gone over Tendō, Chikushōdō, and Gakidō. However, I think we should at least touch on Shuradō.” Konan braced herself for the inevitable.</p>
<p>Naruto’s jaw hit the ground. “Shuradō? That one with all the weapons and the extra arms and faces?” Konan gave a small nod. She may as well have set off a paper bomb. “What?! No way! I’m <em>not</em> going to turn into a freaking octopus! And there is absolutely no way in Hell I’m going to make myself grow two extra faces!”</p>
<p>Konan let out an exasperated sigh, trying to keep her eye from twitching. “Naruto, I understand your apprehensions about trying to use its abilities, but please try to understand that it’s necessary. It’s a tool; one that you may end up using at one point.”</p>
<p>“Tool or not, it’s freaky! I’d rather use the other paths, at least <em>they </em>don’t turn me into a fr—”</p>
<p>“Enough.” Konan’s interruption was sharp enough to make Naruto flinch. She took a deep breath before speaking placidly, though there was a touch of frustration present in her tone. “As I said, I understand your apprehension. But, if you are to reach your full potential and full <em>strength</em>, you need to at least familiarize yourself with the abilities of Shuradō.”</p>
<p>The mention of strength seemed to snap the blond out of his near-hysterical refusal. He stood silent for a moment, poring over Konan’s words. He knew she was right; he needed to be as strong as possible to protect his precious people. Still, he felt a sense of trepidation at drastically changing his body into a living armory.</p>
<p>Naruto let out a sigh. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” He fidgeted, trying to choose his next words. “So…how do I use Shuradō, exactly?”</p>
<p>Konan brought a hand to her chin, a long moment of silence passing as she tried to remember Nagato’s explanation. Naruto waited as patiently as he could, but still fidgeted. He snapped his attention to the azure haired woman as she finally spoke. “If I’m being honest, the best explanation I can give is that you gather your chakra and exert your will to make weapons appear. The same applies to the extra arms and faces.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s face twisted into one of perplexity. “Pretty much like the black rods?”</p>
<p>“Essentially. The main differences are the fact that this channels Shuradō, not Gedō; you also use chakra to manifest the weapons initially.”</p>
<p>The blond brought a hand to his chin. “What sort of weapons and stuff could I use?”</p>
<p>This time it was Konan’s turn to ponder, the only indication of which was a slight furrowing of her brow. “I remember a few that Nagato used regularly. One was a large, flexible blade that the Shuradō Pain could produce from its waist; it reminded me of a scorpion’s tail. It could also create small bombs that would shoot out from its arm. It could also fly using some sort of…propulsion from its feet. There were also the blades it could create from its arms and being able to launch its fist at targets.” Naruto’s face contorted more and more as Konan spoke, his expression a mixture of horror and fascination.</p>
<p>“Is there anything it <em>can’t </em>do?”</p>
<p>The Ame woman paused, contemplating his question. “You know, now that I think of it, I suppose the limitations of Shuradō would likely be that of your imagination.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed, examining his hand and forearm, trying to imagine blades emerging from it. He turned his attention back to Konan. “So…just imagine the weapon I want, and focus my chakra to make it appear?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Try it and see what happens.”</p>
<p>The blond pushed his sleeve up to his elbow, exposing his right forearm. He tried to think of what sort of weapon would be useful to him. He wasn’t well-versed in kenjutsu, nor had he really used any weapons outside of kunai and the occasional shuriken. An idea popped into his head: knuckle blades. Not a second later, three curved, pointed blades shot out of the spaces between his fingers. Naruto fell onto his rear with a shriek, staring at his hand in horror. He expected a searing pain, but was even more shocked when he felt none. His eyes widened to the size of ramen bowls beneath his sunglasses.</p>
<p>“No way, no way, no fucking way!” Naruto stared at the scythe-like blades emerging from his hand as Konan approached him.</p>
<p>“Calm down, calm down. They won’t cut you unless you’re carele—”</p>
<p>“Calm down? Calm down?! There are <em>knives! </em>Coming out of my <em>fucking hand!</em>”</p>
<p>“Yes, there are. But they’re weapons that you can use in combat,” Konan explained dryly.</p>
<p>Naruto took a deep breath, turning back to his bladed hand. He clenched his fist, noting how the curved blades extended out like claws. They had a single cutting edge that made them good for slashing, but were also pointed to allow for stabbing attacks. He gave a cursory swing, trying to imagine driving them into an opponent or slashing them. He contemplated how they could be used as defensive tools, likely to block the swing of a sword or kunai.</p>
<p>The blond turned his attention back to his blue haired instructor. “So uh, how do I, y’know, make these things go away?” He waved his bladed hand about.</p>
<p>Konan awkwardly cleared her throat. “Well, I would imagine you just…retract them. In the same way you extended them.”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head before shrugging. He focused on the blades extended from his hand, mentally commanding them to retract. To his surprise and relief, the metallic appendages complied and retracted back into his hand. He studied his knuckles, wrist, and forearm, giving experimental squeezes with his left hand to see if the blades were still present. The blond breathed a sigh of relief when he felt nothing aside from muscle and bone.</p>
<p>“That…was weird. Like…really weird.”</p>
<p>“Shuradō is one of the more…unique paths. Look at it this way: an enemy would never expect you to simply <em>grow</em> a weapon out of your body. Think of it as constantly having the element of surprise on your side,” Konan reasoned.</p>
<p>Naruto hummed. “I guess that’s true. You said I could make like, bombs and stuff?”</p>
<p>“That’s right. Last I remember, the Shuradō Pain quite literally pulled the bombs out of its arm. You can try, if you’d like. Just…be careful.” Konan’s tone carried an air of concern.</p>
<p>Naruto swallowed hard, looking at his right hand again. His mouth drew itself into a tight line as apprehension seeped into him once more. He took a quivering breath, steeling his nerves. Naruto clenched his right fist, channeling chakra into his right arm, picturing the various small bombs that Konan told him about. He grabbed his wrist and twisted.</p>
<p>There was an audible click, causing Naruto to flinch. He steadied his breathing before pulling. With a fleshy splat, his hand and wrist separated from his forearm, revealing a dark grey metallic rod that connected his hand and wrist to the rest of his arm. The central rod was covered in cylinders with rounded tops, resembling a metal tree that was devoid of leaves.</p>
<p>Naruto stifled another shriek, studying his elongated limb and motionless hand. “So…these…are the bombs…right?” His tone was even as he tried to suppress his shock.</p>
<p>“Yes. You can fire them off, and they’ll explode on impact. You could try, but…aim for the trees. I’d prefer it if you didn’t injure yourself…or me.” Konan backed away a few paces to avoid any stray explosions.</p>
<p>The blond nodded slowly before bringing his elongated arm out in front of him. He turned towards the trees, taking a deep breath before channeling chakra to his arm; almost as if he were triggering a paper bomb. Not a split second later, the individual bombs came to life. Their rockets ignited, sending them screaming towards the tree line in a deadly salvo. The miniature missiles exploded as they hit the unfortunate tree trunks. Naruto stared wide-eyed at the spectacle, completely ignoring the fact that his arm returned to its original length, with no evidence of its detachment. His jaw went slack as the explosions went off one after another.</p>
<p>He was brought out of his stupor by a hand on his shoulder. Flinching at the contact, he relaxed as he saw Konan.</p>
<p>“I think you have a fairly good understanding of how to access Shuradō. Would you agree?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded fiercely. Konan regarded him with a small smile. “Don’t let the peculiarity of Shuradō discourage you from testing some of its capabilities. Just make sure you don’t turn the training ground into a crater.” She finished on a lighthearted note, trying to lift the blond out of his shock. A chuckle escaped him as he flashed her his signature grin and nodded again.</p>
<p>“Then let’s call it for today.” She turned to the trio, who looked to be wrapping things up. Kakashi caught her glance, gesturing to Sasuke and Yūgao. The latter replaced her ANBU mask as they walked towards Naruto and Konan.</p>
<p>“Done then?” Kakashi asked, hands in his pockets.</p>
<p>“Yup! I think my shadow clones are just about done, too,” Naruto answered.</p>
<p>The silver haired jōnin smiled beneath his mask. “Great. Same time tomorrow, then.” He turned to the masked Yūgao. “That work for you?” Yūgao gave a single, silent nod. Kakashi’s eye crinkled once more. “Great. Naruto, Sasuke, you two are free to train some more, if you’d like. See you tomorrow.” Kakashi and Konan disappeared in their respective swirls of leaves and paper, while Yūgao simply flickered away, leaving the two friends in the middle of the training ground.</p>
<p>Naruto turned to Sasuke. “I would ask to spar, but I’m guessing you have somewhere to be?”</p>
<p>Sasuke shook his head, much to Naruto’s surprise. “Actually, I was gonna show you something. Dispel your clones and come with me.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, dispelling the clones that were working with lightning chakra first. He stumbled a bit as all the memories of the clones came flooding in at once. After regaining his bearings, he made his way towards the creek where his other two clones were studying the scroll of water jutsu that Kakashi had given him. He dispelled them and retrieved the scroll, stowing it in his pocket. He turned to see Sasuke watching him expectantly.</p>
<p>“So, what did Kakashi-sensei teach you while I was training with Yūgao-sensei?”</p>
<p>The blond opened his mouth to answer before he caught what Sasuke had said. “Yūgao-sensei? Is that the person that Kakashi-sensei was talking about yesterday?”</p>
<p>The Uchiha nodded. “Yeah, she’s an ANBU who’s training me in kenjutsu.”</p>
<p>A wry smirk tugged at Naruto’s mouth. “Did she kick your ass?”</p>
<p>Sasuke threw a glare at his friend. “She didn’t ‘kick my ass,’ but she did get the drop on me. We sparred without my Sharingan.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed. Even he knew how useful the Sharingan could be, so it made sense how much of a disadvantage Sasuke would be at against a high-level kenjutsu specialist. True, he was no pushover, but he was no master, and Sasuke was aware of that.</p>
<p>“Anyways, what did Kakashi-sensei teach you?” The raven-haired shinobi asked.</p>
<p>“Well, he showed me how to channel lightning chakra and an earth jutsu. My shadow clones were working on adding lightning chakra to the Rasengan; so far, I’ve only sort of gotten it down. He also gave me a scroll of a few water jutsu that I gave to two shadow clones.”</p>
<p>It was Sasuke’s turn to hum. “Lightning, water, and earth, huh? Interesting.”</p>
<p>“Why do you ask?”</p>
<p>“Well, I wanted to show you something. You have a natural affinity for all five nature transformations thanks to your Rinnegan, and I figured I’d help you out and show you how to use fire chakra.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s jaw dropped. “You…want to teach me?”</p>
<p>“Of course. One of my affinities is fire, after all. Before I teach you a jutsu, I’ll explain the basics of fire chakra. Don’t fall asleep on me, got it?”</p>
<p>Naruto waved his hand dismissively. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. So how does fire chakra work?”</p>
<p>Sasuke cleared his throat. “Well, it’s sort of like lightning in that it comes from within. One key thing to remember is that how you breathe can affect the stability of the jutsu. Granted, the power of a fire jutsu is dependent on how much chakra you mold. Does that make sense?”</p>
<p>The blond hummed, scratching his cheek. “I think so.”</p>
<p>The Uchiha brought a hand to his chin before snapping his fingers. “Lemme show you what I mean. Watch how I breathe.” Sasuke turned to face out towards the stream, flying through hand seals, ending on Tiger. His chest expanded as he inhaled deeply. On the exhale, a great stream of fire exited his mouth, blooming into a wall of flame that cast an orange glow over the area surrounding the two teens. Naruto couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe; he knew Sasuke prided himself on being able to use fire jutsu despite his lightning affinity, but he never knew he had reached this level of proficiency.</p>
<p>Sasuke turned back to his friend once the flames subsided. “Did you catch that?”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a firm nod. “You breathed really deeply.”</p>
<p>“Exactly. Now comes the part where I teach you a fire jutsu; specifically, Gōkakyu.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s brows shot up. “Gōkakyu? <em>The </em>Uchiha signature jutsu?”</p>
<p>“Yes. I’ll spare you the spiel…brother.” A small smile tugged at Naruto’s mouth. Sasuke gestured for him to follow him through the hand seals. “The seals are: Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, and Tiger.” Sasuke slowly demonstrated the seals while Naruto followed along, trying to commit them to memory. He ran through the hand seals a few more times, restarting every time he missed one. After three attempts with no mistakes, Naruto decided to try the jutsu.</p>
<p>“So, just mold fire chakra in my lungs with the inhale, and force it out on the exhale?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Give it a shot. Remember: breathe deep.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a firm nod before weaving the necessary hand seals. He inhaled as deeply as he could, feeling the heat well up within his chest. Once his lungs reached capacity, he blew with all his might. To his surprise, a stream of fire exited his mouth and spread out, much like Sasuke’s jutsu. Naruto’s fireball was considerably smaller, but it was there, nonetheless.</p>
<p>A small smile formed on Sasuke’s normally stoic face. Watching his friend learn the same jutsu he had learned as a child brought back fond memories of his mother and father. He tried not to think about Itachi; doing so would only sully the pleasant nostalgia.</p>
<p>Once the flames subsided once more, Naruto turned to Sasuke, an expectant look on his face; one that was decorated with his signature grin. Sasuke nodded, the smile still plastered to his own face. “Not bad, whiskers. The flame was a bit small, but that’ll get better with practice.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s expression softened slightly, though a smile still painted his features. “Thanks for this, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>“Don’t sweat it. Think of it this way: with practice, maybe you can make a flaming Rasengan or something,” Sasuke offered.</p>
<p>The blond raised his brows as he considered the possibility of a fire enhanced Rasengan. A laugh that sounded closer to a cackle escaped him. “That sounds awesome!”</p>
<p>Sasuke winced internally at Naruto’s reaction, finding the laugh to be a bit manic. “Just a thought. Anyway, I’m gonna go bother Lady Tsunade again. I’ll see you at home. You think you can make more fish tonight?”</p>
<p>The blond shrugged. “Sure. I’m gonna head to the village archives.” A small frown painted his face. “Hopefully the ANBU won’t hassle me too much about why I want to access them,” he grumbled.</p>
<p>Sasuke gave his own shrug. “Just don’t piss them off. See you at home, blondie.” The Uchiha vanished in a swirl of electric sparks.</p>
<p>Naruto cursed under his breath, forgetting to check for a scroll that would teach him the Shunshin. He made another mental note to check the archives once he got there.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Gaining entry to the ANBU headquarters was one thing. Gaining entry to the archives held within was another. After verifying his identity twice, he was allowed access to some of the archives; being a chūnin meant he was barred from certain sections of the archives that were reserved for Tokubetsu jōnin or higher. Naruto wanted to argue for permission to access the restricted sections, but thought better of it when he remembered that he would only be bombarded with questions as to why he needed access in the first place.</p>
<p>Despite his usual aversion to lengthy books and scrolls, Naruto was impressed by the archives, if only for the sheer volume of documents they contained. There were countless mission reports on file; though they were mostly C and D rank, higher ranks needed higher clearance that he didn’t have yet. Along with the reports, there were official copies of laws and ordinances dating back to the founding of the Konoha Council, some even to the founding of Konoha itself. Some jutsu scrolls were also present, but the highest level jutsu were, of course, restricted. There were even copies of older Bingo Books on file, no doubt kept for reference.</p>
<p>Aside from official and archival texts, there were other documents that pertained to the clans of Konohagakure—namely the Senju, the Uchiha, the Hyūga, the Akimichi, and the Aburame. Most of it was official information, such as the clan heads and their officially named successors.</p>
<p>It was difficult to know where to begin his search. Naruto figured he would try to find some reference texts and look for memoirs or accounts from early Konoha. Surprisingly, he was able to find more documents from early Konoha. He read through memoirs of early shinobi, accounts of early battles, and a few excerpts from old history books. As always, there was no mention of the Sage of Six Paths, nor was there any mention of the Rinnegan. Naruto expected as much, but he was still disappointed at the lack of information.</p>
<p>Despite the dead ends, he did learn something interesting: Konoha was not only co-founded, but <em>named </em>by Madara Uchiha. As it turned out, Madara and the First Hokage had been friends. For reasons that weren’t detailed, Hashirama and Madara’s friendship ended, and the two fought at the Valley of the End. Naruto had faint memories of Iruka teaching these things, but given that he had slept or not paid attention, the information never fully stuck.</p>
<p>The blond had his nose stuck in a scroll that taught Shunshin when he was interrupted by an ANBU agent.</p>
<p>“Naruto Uzumaki; your presence is requested by the Hokage,” the masked man recited.</p>
<p>Naruto heaved an exasperated sigh, setting aside the books he had gathered. He paused when he rolled the jutsu scroll back up. “Wait, can I take this with me? It’s a jutsu scroll: Shunshin. You guys allow check-outs of certain things, right?”</p>
<p>The ANBU responded placidly. “Yes, so long as you return it within a reasonable time frame. The standard amount of time that is allotted is one month. After that, you need to put in a request to keep it checked out for longer.”</p>
<p>Naruto held the scroll out in front of him. “Then I’m taking this with me.”</p>
<p>The masked man nodded. “Very well, I’ll make note of it. Come with me.”</p>
<p>The blond nodded and followed the ANBU out.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Tsunade was finishing up some paperwork when there was a knock at her office door.</p>
<p>“Enter,” she called, not looking up from her task.</p>
<p>In burst her favorite blond pain in the ass. “Granny! Why’d you summon me? Do you have a mission for me?”</p>
<p>The Hokage held a hand up, silencing Naruto as she put the finishing touches on the document she was signing. She set her pen down, finally looking up and meeting Naruto’s spectacled gaze. A long silence passed between them as she studied her pseudo-grandson, who fidgeted uncomfortably.</p>
<p>Her poker face was unwavering as she finally broke the silence. “So, how’s your training been going, brat?”</p>
<p>Naruto’s face lit up. “Really great, actually! I’ve practiced almost all of my new abilities so far, and Kakashi-sensei started teaching me to add lightning chakra to Rasengan. He even showed me an earth jutsu. Oh yeah, turns out I also have affinities for all the nature transformations. Crazy, huh?”</p>
<p>Tsunade nodded, a small smile tugging at her ruby red lips. “That’s good to hear. Do you like having Konan as an instructor?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, actually. She’s tough, and doesn’t hold back when we spar, but she explains things really well. She’s strong.” Naruto paused for a moment. “Wait, did you call me here so I could report my training to you?”</p>
<p>The Hokage shrugged. “Is that such a bad thing? It’s been a little while since I last saw you, so I figured I’d check up on you.” Naruto hummed as Tsunade nonchalantly examined her painted nails that matched her lipstick. “Oh, I also wanted to know who else you’ve told about your Rinnegan,” she said coolly.</p>
<p> “Oh, just Ha—” Naruto stiffened as he realized what the buxom Hokage had just asked. “Wh— how d— when di— huh?!”</p>
<p>“Oh, come now. You couldn’t have honestly thought that I wouldn’t hear about it, could you? Haku <em>is</em> one of my apprentices, after all.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to form words, making him resemble a fish out of water. He frowned. “Haku is the only one besides you, Shizune, Konan, and my teammates,” he grumbled.</p>
<p>Tsunade nodded slowly. “Alright then. That’s alright. I know you trust Haku. I trust him, too. Granted, it’s really <em>your</em> secret to tell, and you’ve proven to be a good judge of character, so I trust you. Just be mindful of who you tell.”</p>
<p>The younger blond gave a nod. “I gotcha, Granny. Was that all you needed me for?”</p>
<p>“Actually, there was something else.” Her eyes softened as she beckoned him to approach the desk. She rose and stood in front of it as he approached. “Kakashi told me you met your father.”</p>
<p>Naruto stiffened for a moment, relaxing once he met her soft honey gaze. He let out a small sigh. “Yeah, I did.” He paused, choosing his next words carefully. “Wh-why didn’t anyone tell me that the Fourth Hokage was my dad?”</p>
<p>It was Tsunade’s turn to sigh as she placed a hand on his shoulder. “I know you won’t believe this, but it was to protect you. Your father had a lot of enemies, and the Third wanted you to be kept safe.”</p>
<p>Naruto blinked back tears beneath his sunglasses, his voice threatening to break. “Is…that true? My dad told me something similar but…did Old Man Third really try to protect me?”</p>
<p>The Hokage squeezed his shoulder. “He did the best he could. Thankfully, he succeeded.” She released his shoulder, turning and grabbing two scrolls from her desk. “These are for you.”</p>
<p>Naruto took the scrolls, looking them over. “What are these?”</p>
<p>“Those…” Tsunade gestured to the scrolls. “…are scrolls that were left by your father.” Naruto’s eyes widened behind his sunglasses, his brows shooting up and peeking over them. “One of them contains his writings when he was developing the Rasengan. I’m sure Jiraiya told you that the Fourth was the one who invented it?”</p>
<p>The younger blond nodded slowly, still staring at the two scrolls, speechless.</p>
<p>“The other scroll contains his signature jutsu: Hiraishin. It’s the jutsu that earned him the name ‘The Yellow Flash of Konoha.’ They’re yours to keep.”</p>
<p>As soon as she finished, Tsunade found herself on the receiving end of a crushing hug.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Granny. Thank you thank you thank you,” he said into her shirt, his voice trembling.</p>
<p>Tsunade smiled as she returned the embrace. “You’re welcome, Naruto.” The two stood there for a moment before Naruto finally released her. “Now head on home. I’ll summon you when I have something else for you or need a report from you,” the Hokage told him.</p>
<p>Naruto gave a thumbs up, his signature grin plastered on his face. “Sure thing! See ya Granny!”</p>
<p>In typical Naruto fashion, he leapt out the window and flew over the rooftops to his apartment.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sasuke had beaten Naruto home and had set up shop in the living room. He was surrounded by scrolls, each of which bore the Uchiha crest. After they exchanged greetings, Naruto blinked at his roommate, who didn’t look up from his reading material.</p>
<p>“I…take it you got to access the archives.”</p>
<p>Sasuke nodded, still not looking up from the scroll he was studying. “Yeah, this was all in the Uchiha compound. There was other stuff, too, but a lot of it was financial records. Most of this is clan history, a few jutsu records, and some writings about the Sharingan.” The Uchiha shifted the scroll in his lap. “Can’t seem to find anything about the Rinnegan, though…” he mumbled.</p>
<p>Naruto shuffled behind him, peering over his shoulder at the scroll he was reading: a study done on the Sharingan. The blond shrugged after confirming his own suspicion that there really was nothing on the Rinnegan. He made his way to the kitchen to fix dinner.</p>
<p>He practically had to tear Sasuke away from his scrolls to get him to eat. They discussed their training routines over their grilled fish. Sasuke detailed how Yūgao was training him to be quicker without using his Sharingan straightaway. Naruto told him about what he had found in the archives, which prompted Sasuke to mention that the name “Madara Uchiha” showed up in a couple of the scrolls he had read. The young Uchiha made a mental note to investigate this Madara character more.</p>
<p>The blond also told his friend about Tsunade’s summon and her gifts. Sasuke congratulated Naruto upon hearing the news about the scrolls, but admonished him over revealing his secret to Haku. He wasn’t as harsh as he would have been if Naruto had revealed his Rinnegan to a stranger though, since he knew Haku could be trusted.</p>
<p>After their meal, the two retreated to their rooms, poring over their scrolls until they each surrendered themselves to a restful sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A nice mix of some fluff and some training. Yūgao is still on-call for ANBU duties, but has sort of distanced herself after Hayate's death, in this AU. I thought it would be fun to have Sasuke learn some kenjutsu from her, since she and Hayate were both kenjutsu specialists. As far as Naruto's knuckle blades go; just picture them being sort of like Wolverine's claws, but shaped more like small scythes. Thanks a bundle for reading! Again, so sorry for the little mini-hiatus outta nowhere. Kudos if you enjoyed, bookmarks if you loved it. Chapter 12 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. In Pursuit of Knowledge</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto's quest for the meaning of his Rinnegan continues.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>After another hiatus thanks to NaNoWriMo, chapter 12 is here! Sorry for the hiatus again, but ya know, NaNo, and more cheese. Onward!</p>
<p>Nope, still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Another three days had passed since Naruto first perused the Konoha archives and was gifted the two scrolls by Tsunade. The notes that his father left on the Rasengan had given him a new appreciation of what it took to develop a jutsu from scratch, and also gave him some insight into just how the Rasengan was formed.</p>
<p>The Hiraishin had proven to be his mountain. Naruto usually took to learning jutsu quite well, especially if he was invested in learning said jutsu. However, he hit a wall with the Hiraishin. He had trouble wrapping his head around both the concept of it being a space-time jutsu and the seals that it required to work. Even with the apparent revisions that his father had made, he still couldn’t seem to understand how to perform it correctly. The blond couldn’t remember the last time he had poured this much of himself into a jutsu.</p>
<p>Naruto’s quest for information had borne very little fruit. He was no closer to knowing more about the Rinnegan or the Sage of Six Paths than when he began his search. He had, however, discovered a great deal of information about the First and Second Hokage. To his astonishment, the Second Hokage was not only one of the most powerful water users to have lived, but he also invented the Shadow Clone jutsu, along with the Hiraishin that his father was famous for using.</p>
<p>Of course, Sasuke had also devoted a lot of his spare time to combing through the documents he had secured from the Uchiha archives. He found some scrolls detailing other fire jutsu that had been passed down over the years. The only notable one was the Hōsenka, as most of the others were variations on Gōkakyu. Other scrolls contained clan history such as previous heirs, members, and internal affairs such as marriages and births.</p>
<p>Sasuke found a boon among the documents: a set of scrolls, unmarked except for the Uchiha crest, that had blood seals. Upon inspection, Sasuke discovered that they contained immensely powerful fire jutsu: Gōka Mekkyaku, Gōka Messhitsu, Ryūen Hōka, and Haijingakure. The descriptions of Gōka Mekkyaku and Gōka Messhitsu were mythic in nature: the former created a vast sea of flames that could swallow a small army, while the latter was similar to Gōkakyu, save for the fact that it was larger, and produced a great deal more fire, essentially guaranteeing the incineration of the target. Sasuke looked for an author’s signature, a tag, or any sign of who developed these jutsu, but only found the name “Uchiha” written at the end of each scroll.</p>
<p>He tried to find more information about Madara Uchiha after Naruto mentioned the name. The most Sasuke had found was that he was one of the members of the Uchiha who founded Konohagakure along with Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage. The texts regarded him as one of their most powerful members, having only been bested by Hashirama at the Valley of the End. The reasons for their fight weren’t entirely clear; the documents merely stated that Madara betrayed Hashirama and Konoha, bringing disgrace to the Uchiha name. That piqued Sasuke’s interest and hatched an idea in his mind. Maybe Naruto had the right idea to ask to browse the Forbidden Scrolls. He decided to tag along with him when the time came.</p>
<p>Sasuke had also been helping Naruto refine his Gōkakyu and overall manipulation of fire chakra. The size of the fire plume had increased as Naruto practiced, but he still was unable to form it into a proper fireball; it was more of a stream of fire. Naruto also pitched the idea of adding fire chakra to the Rasengan to Sasuke. The Uchiha was surprised, to say the least, but he wasn’t opposed to the idea, given its effectiveness when wind chakra was added.</p>
<p>Naruto also made significant progress in manipulating lightning chakra and adding it to the Rasengan. It wasn’t much, though, besides a swirling, chirping ball of lightning. He wanted to further develop it into something, but had little idea what to do with it. His first instinct was to try to create something like the Rasenshuriken, but given the difference in elements, he would need to reconsider his options.</p>
<p>The spars that Naruto had against Konan became more intense as she held back less and less. She also permitted the use of the Rinnegan abilities that he knew, which meant that he had to think on his feet more. He gave Konan a run for her money, but he was still careless at times and left himself wide open to attacks. His control of visually linked shadow clones and the summons granted to him through Chikushōdō was impeccable, but he was still working out ways to more effectively use them. Out of the three spars that they had, he only claimed one narrow victory.</p>
<p>Naruto hadn’t had the chance to spar with Sasuke, since he was busy training with Yūgao. Her sparring rules were simple: kenjutsu only, no Sharingan. She put Sasuke through the wringer as far as speed and technical refinement went, but he had markedly improved since their first spar. His attack speed had increased, but he struggled to find the happy medium between speed and power. He cursed his ineptitude, but kept reminding himself that Yūgao was going to whip him into a more capable swordsman—one who would only improve with the use of the Sharingan.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke weren’t the only two who were busy training. Since she had last seen her blond teammate, Sakura doubled down on her lessons with Tsunade, who introduced her to the Sōzō Saisei and Byakugō no In. The pink haired kunoichi had long wondered what the mark on the Hokage’s forehead was, and when Tsunade explained it to her, she was taken aback at the capabilities of the seal and its derived jutsu. Given how well she handled not only the treatment of the wounded following the attack on the village, but also how she handled treating Naruto when he was brought back, Tsunade felt that Sakura was ready to learn them both.</p>
<p>She also stepped up her training in chakra enhanced taijutsu and would work with Haku when time permitted. Haku awkwardly explained that he taught Sakura what he could when it came to Hyōton. She was quick to point out that he hadn’t worked with her extensively on Makyō Hyōshō, which he embarrassedly acknowledged. She tried to keep up with Haku’s speed when he moved from mirror to mirror, but Haku was just that much faster than her. However, her accuracy with senbon and ice needles was nearly on the same level as Haku.</p>
<p>Sakura had also taken to sparring with Haku, since she knew Naruto and Sasuke were both busy with their respective instructors. She wanted to take them by surprise when she did get a chance to spar with either of them. Since Haku’s specialty was ranged attacks and ninjutsu, she had an upper hand when it came to taijutsu. Of course, Haku fought tooth and nail to keep her at a distance. He had to admit, Sakura was a good sparring partner, since she kept him on the defensive.</p>
<p>Kakashi, who reported to the Hokage regularly regarding Konan’s instruction of Naruto, caught wind of Sakura’s increased efforts to build her strength. He couldn’t help but swell with pride at just how far his ‘cute little genin’ had come. Tsunade remarked that they reminded her of her teammates in some ways, save for Orochimaru’s traitorous actions. Kakashi had inwardly breathed a sigh of relief that Sasuke hadn’t turned out like Orochimaru. He knew they were all capable shinobi, and wondered just how far Team 7 would rise.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day’s training was rigorous. Naruto finally had a chance to spar with Sasuke, this time with ninjutsu permitted. It was just like old times; the two fought tooth and nail for any advantage over the other. They launched massive fireballs at each other, resulting in a spectacular, controlled inferno when they collided. The sheer force created an explosion and a plume of flame that rivaled the size of a house. Naruto often found himself on the defensive thanks to Sasuke’s improved kenjutsu, but there were still openings that he took advantage of with his visually linked shadow clones.</p>
<p>Naruto had proved a formidable opponent; he was faster than before and was quick to take advantage of his Rinnegan abilities. He had stopped Sasuke’s Chidori once, and he did it again despite the Uchiha’s improved speed. Naruto hadn’t conjured up any blades or weapons with Shuradō, nor had he created any black rods. He relied mostly on his taijutsu, his visually linked shadow clones, and the abilities granted by Tendō. The spar ended in a draw, albeit a narrow one.</p>
<p>Konan and Yūgao took their respective protégés aside to discuss how their spar went. The latter focused on kenjutsu commentary, but still offered solid feedback regarding general combat awareness. Konan, on the other hand, gave Naruto plenty of pointers regarding how best to utilize his visually linked clones. His tactics were still gung-ho, as he often opted to charge headfirst into a fight. Kakashi only reinforced Konan’s words, and suggested that Naruto spar against him at some point as a test of his skills. The blond Rinnegan user agreed, though he was a bit apprehensive; he always saw his sensei as someone who would always be stronger than him, regardless of how strong Naruto really was.</p>
<p>Kakashi worked with Naruto a bit on adding lightning chakra to the Rasengan, but despite Naruto’s best efforts, it was still just a swirling ball of lightning. His sensei had suggested thinking along the same lines as the Rasenshuriken. That is, how he could possibly throw it like the Rasenshuriken. Kakashi also advised that Naruto consider the nature of lightning as it exists in the world around them. That only left Naruto more confused, but he figured throwing more shadow clones at it would solve the problem.</p>
<p>Yūgao had been drilling Sasuke on his fundamentals, which slipped slightly during his spar with Naruto. He took all of Yūgao’s critiques in stride, though he inwardly cursed himself for letting his concentration slip. Though he used his Sharingan during the spar, his purpled haired instructor still forbade him from using it during their training for the time being. He was a bit miffed that he still wasn’t allowed the use of his Sharingan despite his improvement, but Yūgao had mentioned in passing that his training would allow for even more advanced techniques that would only be even deadlier with the Sharingan. That snapped Sasuke out of his funk, and lit a fire in his belly.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke bade their instructors a good day and sat near the stream that ran through Training Ground Three. The afternoon sun wasn’t as harsh as usual, and a gentle breeze blew through the area. Sasuke was still sore from their spar, and had blisters on his hands from holding his ninjato for so long. Naruto, true to form, was practically good as new; physical fatigue was never a problem for him. Though, he did find himself a bit mentally fried on account of wracking his brain trying to develop what he had dubbed the ‘Lightning Rasengan’ into a distinct jutsu.</p>
<p>The blond rose to his feet after taking one last sip of water from his canteen. “I think I’m gonna go ask Granny about looking through the Forbidden Scrolls. The library and the archives were both pretty much dead ends.”</p>
<p>Sasuke sprang up. “I’m going with you.”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head, eyeing his friend with a mix of confusion and intrigue.</p>
<p>Sasuke remained stoic under his friend’s spectacled gaze. “I found some things in the Uchiha scrolls that I want to know more about. I doubt the archives or the library would have much,” he explained.</p>
<p>“What kind of things?”</p>
<p>“There was a name that showed up: Madara Uchiha. He apparently betrayed his friend and brought shame to the Uchiha. I plan to find out just what he did.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s brows shot up. “Really? I found some stuff about that Madara guy, too. He and the First Hokage were friends.”</p>
<p>Sasuke cocked an eyebrow before a wry smirk tugged at his mouth. “Let’s get going, then. Fireball training will have to wait. Let’s just hope Lady Tsunade is in a good mood.”</p>
<p>The duo set off towards the Hokage Tower, preemptively bracing themselves for Tsunade’s adamant denial and reprimands for requesting something so absurd.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Tsunade was up to her ears in paperwork, as usual. Now that the village was in a state of semi-normalcy, there was no shortage of documents that needed her signature or notarization. Not only was she handling official village paperwork, but she also had a shared responsibility with Shizune over the hospital’s as well. Her desk was laden with budget requests, permits, diplomatic messages, mission reports, patient rosters, medical shipments, and other documents that would bore all but the most studious shinobi.</p>
<p>The Hokage let a sigh escape through her nose as she pored over yet another budget proposal, only to be interrupted by a knock at her office door.</p>
<p>“Enter,” she called, not looking up from the sheets splayed out on her desk.</p>
<p>In burst Naruto and his plus one. “Granny! I have a favor to ask of you!”</p>
<p>Tsunade could feel her blood pressure rising as she tried to keep her tone calm. “Oh? What sort of favor?” She turned to Sasuke, who gave a small bow. “Do you need something, too, Sasuke?”</p>
<p>The Uchiha cleared his throat. “Well, actually, it’s the same thing that Naruto wants to ask you.”</p>
<p>The Hokage cocked an eyebrow, turning her inquisitive gaze to the younger blond in question. Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly as he stumbled through his request. “Well, it’s just uh— Well, y’see, Sasuke and I were wondering— The thing is— I, er, well, <em>we</em>, were wondering if—” Naruto paused, taking a deep breath. Tsunade’s eyebrow held its place as she stared at him as he finally found the words. “I was going to ask you if we could <em>maybe</em> have access to the Forbidden Scrolls?” He braced himself for the inevitable scolding he would receive from his grandmother figure.</p>
<p>Tsunade’s brow had lowered and furrowed; her face was set in a frown. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she spoke quietly, though there was an edge of incredulity in her tone. “And just <em>why </em>in the world would you two want to access the Forbidden Scrolls?”</p>
<p>Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke beat him to it. “I found something in the Uchiha scrolls that I want to know more about. Naruto wants to learn more about his eyes.”</p>
<p>The Hokage rested her elbows on her desk and folded her hands in the air, glancing between the two of them. She focused on the younger blond as he nodded. “Seriously, Granny, it’s been a dead end. There’s practically nothing about my eyes or even the Sage of Six Paths anywhere.”</p>
<p>Tsunade leaned forward, resting her chin atop her folded hands. She turned back to Sasuke. “What exactly did you find in your clan’s scrolls that made you want to peruse the Forbidden Scrolls?”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s mouth drew into a tight line. “A name.”</p>
<p>Tsunade cocked an eyebrow once again. “A name?”</p>
<p>“Madara Uchiha.”</p>
<p>The room fell deathly silent. The mere mention of that name told the Hokage everything she needed to know. Tsunade stared at the young Uchiha heir for a time before wordlessly looking between them again. She considered their deceptively simple requests. She rose from her desk after taking a deep breath. “Come with me, you two.” The duo swallowed hard as they followed the Hokage.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke were led to a heavily guarded lower level of the Hokage Tower. Normally, the ANBU would have immediately detained them for questioning as to why they were down there in the first place. Since Tsunade accompanied them, they were left alone as she ordered the door unsealed and unlocked.</p>
<p>The trio was greeted by a rather large, plain looking room. It housed a surprisingly expansive collection of scrolls, books, and other original documents. Naruto and Sasuke were about to browse on their own, but were stopped by Tsunade’s gentle but firm grip on their shoulders.</p>
<p>“Hang on, you two,” she said with quiet authority. The two friends turned to her, awaiting her next instructions. “First of all, absolutely <em>no kinjutsu</em>. Secondly, nothing, and I mean <em>nothing</em> leaves this room. All of this is view-only. Thirdly, try to only look through things you think will be useful to you. Am I clear?”</p>
<p>“Yes, ma’am,” the duo responded in unison.</p>
<p>Tsunade gave a firm nod and released their shoulders. “Good. I trust you two. Now go look for whatever you need to find. I’ll be waiting here until you’re done.” With that, Tsunade took a seat at one of the reading tables as Naruto and Sasuke went on their way. The latter tried to find letters, memoirs, and accounts written by either Hashirama Senju himself, or shinobi from the time of the founding of Konoha. Naruto had, of course, set his sights on anything regarding the Sage of Six Paths; opting for historic documents that chronicled the known history of shinobi within Konoha and the Land of Fire.</p>
<p>Sasuke found some texts written by Hashirama Senju; mostly memoirs and journal entries. None of them went into great detail regarding Madara’s betrayal, but they did offer more insight into what Hashirama saw. Madara’s betrayal seemed to have been a culmination of sorts. Hashirama surmised that something must have happened after Madara first showed him the Uchiha Stone Tablet that likely broke him. After their fight at the Valley of the End, Hashirama wrote that Madara seemed as though he was consumed by hatred; hatred of Hashirama, hatred of Konoha, even hatred of the old Uchiha clan.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, Sasuke decided to look for writings by Tobirama Senju, Hashirama’s younger brother. His opinions of Madara and the Uchiha as a whole were significantly more negative than his brother’s; he had chalked up Madara’s betrayal to something called “The Uchiha Curse of Hatred.” The supposed curse was apparently one of the Uchiha’s most defining attributes, and one that allegedly plagued many Uchiha. Sasuke’s frown grew the more he read. While it was true that people like Itachi and Madara had brought shame upon their clan, the former going so far as to slaughter all but Sasuke, he had to wonder just why the Second Hokage had such a distaste for the Uchiha in the first place.</p>
<p>A sigh escaped Sasuke’s lips as he rolled up the scroll he had been reading; a faint sour taste in his mouth. He shook his head, trying to silence the voices that were incessantly whispering that he was still one of the accursed Uchiha despite not ending up like Itachi. He knew in his heart that he wasn’t like either; he knew he was different, and Naruto had helped him see that. Though, he would be lying if he said he didn’t find himself wondering just <em>what</em> made him so different from them. Did he really owe everything to Naruto? He remembered when he snapped after the Chūnin Exams, lamenting over how close he had come to following the path of solitude. He shook his head once more, ridding himself of those thoughts.</p>
<p>Naruto had once again found little by way of the Sage of Six Paths or the Rinnegan. Outdated history books only mentioned the Sage in passing. He read that the Sage was the ancestor of shinobi enough times that it was etched into his subconscious. He wondered if he would ever find any answers. He wasn’t sure why he felt so compelled to know more about his eyes, only that he did. It was as if something in him had awakened; some desire for knowledge. It struck him as rather odd. Normally, he would be content with simply becoming stronger thanks to his new dōjutsu, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something else at play; something bigger.</p>
<p>For the sake of being thorough, as Sakura had advised, he looked through journals and memoirs of the First Hokage as Sasuke had. As expected, there was nothing regarding the Rinnegan. Naruto’s frustration was palpable. He’d turned the library and the village archives upside down looking for something, anything about his unexpected gift. Naruto started out hopeful that he would find something, even just a small lead. Instead, he hit one dead end after another.</p>
<p>He was ready to storm out of the room when he stumbled upon something that made his blood run cold. Hashirama Senju had a wife; a wife who had been unnamed up until now. Her name was Mito; Mito Uzumaki. Naruto stared at the name written in the scroll in front of him. He was motionless, his unblinking eyes were the size of ramen bowls beneath his sunglasses as his mouth hung open. It was impossible. He was the only Uzumaki in Konoha aside from his mother; at least, he figured as much, since his father’s surname was Namikaze.</p>
<p>Naruto immediately strode firmly to where Tsunade was sitting, scroll in hand. Sasuke noticed the commotion, peering around a shelf to observe. Naruto slapped the document on the table in front of the Hokage, glaring at her with a frown. She simply eyed the document and the younger blond who violently presented it to her with a cocked eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Care to explain, brat?” She probed.</p>
<p>Naruto simply pointed to the name of Hashirama’s wife, his frown deepening. Tsunade’s face grew more serious before her expression softened. “Have a seat,” she gently instructed.</p>
<p>Naruto was taken aback at the sudden shift in tone, but he sat down without a word of protest. As soon as he sat down, he began his interrogation. “Who was she? Why does she have my last name? What does this mean?”</p>
<p>Tsunade raised a hand, silencing the chūnin. “One question at a time. Let’s start with your first one: who was she? She was the wife of Hashirama Senju; she was also my grandmother.”</p>
<p>Naruto swallowed hard. “Why does she have my last name?”</p>
<p>“Simple: she was an Uzumaki. She never changed her surname, despite my grandfather’s insistence. She simply didn’t want to abandon the Uzumaki name.”</p>
<p>“The…Uzumaki…name?” Sasuke shuffled out of the shadows, keeping himself at an arm’s length so as not to disturb his friend and the Hokage.</p>
<p>Tsunade nodded, her honey eyes full of concern and empathy for her grandson figure. “That’s right. Mito was from the Uzumaki clan, and she didn’t want to leave that part of her life behind completely. She was quite stubborn at times.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s face twisted in confusion. “Uzumaki <em>clan?</em> Granny, I don’t understand, why wasn’t I—”</p>
<p>“Why weren’t you told about the Uzumaki clan?” Naruto nodded meekly, trying to contain the mélange of emotions that were swirling about within him. Tsunade let out a sigh. “Because there were only two Uzumaki here in Konoha: Mito, and your mother.”</p>
<p>Naruto froze, his gaze fixated on the Hokage.</p>
<p>Tsunade rose to her feet. “Wait here,” she instructed. Naruto nodded as she went in search of something. The blond turned his attention to Sasuke, who gave a nod of acknowledgement.</p>
<p>The Hokage returned with an older Ninja Registration book. Naruto and Sasuke looked on with bated breath as the blonde woman thumbed through pages. She paused once she found what she was looking for and turned the book to face Naruto. “This…” She pointed at a photo of a young woman with long, impossibly red hair. “…was your mother. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki.”</p>
<p>Naruto pulled the book towards him with trembling hands. He blinked rapidly behind his sunglasses, trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill over. His fingers brushed over the image of his young mother. “This…this is my mom? This woman is my mom?” He asked with a strained voice. Sasuke could only stare as Tsunade simply nodded.</p>
<p>The young Uzumaki’s hands balled into fists for a fleeting moment before they relaxed. Naruto’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Why didn’t you tell me who my mother was?”</p>
<p>A small frown marred the Hokage’s face before a sigh escaped through her nose. “The same reason you weren’t told about your father: to protect you.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a small nod, running his fingers over the photograph one more time. He tried to imagine what it would have been like to have had his mother in his life. He wondered how a hug from her would have felt; it probably would have been better than any hug he could have ever gotten. Maybe even better than a hug from Sakura. He took one last glance, taking note of the lack of any dōjutsu in her eyes, before sliding the book back to the Hokage. Tsunade carefully closed the book before getting up and returning it back to its shelf.</p>
<p>The two blonds sat in silence; Naruto would have spoken if he weren’t trying to process what he had just seen. Tsunade watched him with concern in her eyes. He should feel angry; angry that nobody told him about either of his parents and had kept everything so secret from him. He wanted to know everything about his parents; what they were like as people and as shinobi. Even though he knew in his heart they loved him, he wanted to hear someone tell him that they loved him. Yet at the same time, he felt a sense of peace now that he knew who his parents were.</p>
<p>Naruto was pulled from his ruminations by Sasuke’s hand resting on his shoulder. Tsunade glanced between them, clearing her throat quietly. “Did you two find anything useful?”</p>
<p>Sasuke let out a sigh. “Sort of. According to the Second Hokage, Madara fell into this thing called the ‘Curse of Hatred’ that the Uchiha are supposedly predisposed into bearing.” Sasuke formed air quotes around the name of the supposed curse. His voice was calm, but carried undertones of frustration.</p>
<p>Tsunade gave a nod, her own face set in an apologetic expression. “That sounds like something my great uncle would say. He was…never fond of the Uchiha. He never told me exactly why, only that they were capable of unspeakable evil.” Sasuke’s face fell into a frown before the Hokage continued. “But I would say you’re proof that not all Uchiha are doomed to succumb to the ‘Curse of Hatred’ that he talked about, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>A small smile crept across the young Uchiha’s face. Tsunade returned it with a nod before turning to the younger blond. “What about you? Find anything?”</p>
<p>Naruto blew a raspberry. “Aside from that thing about Miss Mito? Nothing.” He slumped forward, burying his fingers in his hair and resting his chin on the table. “I swear, no matter where I look, it’s just one dead end after another.” He peered up at Tsunade. “Do you know anything else, Granny? Maybe some stuff you forgot to tell me since you last saw my eyes?”</p>
<p>A sigh escaped the twin-tailed blonde. “Unfortunately, I don’t. I only know what’s mostly common knowledge: the Rinnegan belonged to the Sage of Six Paths—”</p>
<p>“Who was the ancestor of shinobi, yeah yeah yeah. I must’ve read that exact phrase at least a thousand times,” he groaned, straightening from his defeated posture. Tsunade frowned at his interruption, casting a glare at him.</p>
<p>“Well, then you already know what I know,” she said with a huff.</p>
<p>Naruto threw his head back and groaned dramatically, which drew a chuckle from his roommate and a growl from the Hokage. The latter glanced between the two of them, clearly not amused.</p>
<p>“If you two are done, I’ve got work to do. That, and you’re really not supposed to be in here for too long,” she said with a slight edge. The two friends both stiffened and nodded quickly.</p>
<p>Tsunade escorted them out of the archive, making sure the ANBU guarding the room didn’t disturb them. She led them back to the doors of her office before she dismissed them. Naruto was about to set off alongside Sasuke when he was stopped by Tsunade’s hand on his shoulder. He turned to her, a quizzical look on his face.</p>
<p>“When you’re ready to ask, I’ll do my best to answer,” she said gently.</p>
<p>The younger blond nodded, knowing full well what she was referring to. “Thanks, Granny.” With that, he set off across the rooftops to his apartment.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Much to Naruto’s elation, dinner had been instant ramen; miso for him, and shoyu for Sasuke. Normally, the two would try and relax before hitting the hay, but their relatively fruitless search for information among the Forbidden Scrolls compelled them to bury themselves in their own independent projects. They hadn’t even changed out of their ninja gear before they set up shop in the living room. Naruto brought out the Hiraishin scroll; meanwhile, Sasuke threw himself at the scrolls he had brought back from the Uchiha archives; scrolls containing the mysteriously powerful fire jutsu, namely.</p>
<p>Naruto sat cross-legged on the floor, poring over the scroll in his lap. An exaggerated groan escaped him as he fell onto his back. “This. <em>Sucks.</em> Why can’t I get this?! No matter how many times I read this thing, I can’t understand how to do it!”</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged, not looking up from his own jutsu scroll in his lap. “Maybe all that ramen has finally turned your brain into a mass of noodles?”</p>
<p>The ramen lover in question raised his right arm slightly and displayed his middle finger for his roommate, not moving from his recumbent position. Sasuke snickered after stealing a glance. “I’m just saying; it’s very possible, given how much you can put away.” Naruto’s finger stood a little taller.</p>
<p>Sasuke nearly doubled over in laughter. “Oh, calm down, whiskers.” He adjusted the scroll in his lap. “Have you tried actually <em>doing</em> the jutsu? You’ve never been one to learn just from reading, anyways,” he offered.</p>
<p>Naruto lowered his arm, sitting up and scratching his cheek. “Ya know, you have a point.”</p>
<p>“I know I do.”</p>
<p>“Suck my dick.”</p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure you’d prefer it if Sakura did that,” Sasuke sneered.</p>
<p>Naruto’s eye twitched as a light blush dusted his cheeks. He grumbled incoherently as he went back to studying the scroll. He retrieved a small piece of paper and a brush from his room. Carefully, he started copying the seal that was pictured in the scroll.</p>
<p>The blond examined his handiwork. “I think this looks good. Let me try putting this…in the kitchen. Just as a test,” he thought aloud. He rose to his feet and made his way over, setting the seal on the ground in front of the refrigerator.</p>
<p>“Just don’t blow anything up, bonehead,” Sasuke called over his shoulder. He was answered by another middle finger as Naruto made his way back to the living room. Naruto took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and put his right hand up into the Seal of Confrontation. Sasuke watched cautiously out of the corner of his eye.</p>
<p>Not a moment later, Naruto disappeared in a plume of smoke. When it cleared, Sasuke was met with silence instead of raucous, joyous whooping.</p>
<p>“Yo, blondie, did it work?”</p>
<p>No answer.</p>
<p>He set his scroll down and turned towards the kitchen to see nothing but the seal on the ground between the table and the refrigerator. His eyes widened and morphed into their crimson state. He whipped his head around, trying to find Naruto’s chakra signature. When he saw that his roommate was nowhere in the immediate vicinity, he let out a groan and pinched the bridge of his nose.</p>
<p>“Dammit, Naruto.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I don't usually end on cliffhangers, but I couldn't resist. Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I'll be able to (hopefully) update a little more regularly. As always, thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment. Chapter 13 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Prophet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto is reunited with a companion and learns more about his Rinnegan, along with its place in the world.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly present: chapter 13. I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday season during this interesting (read: dumpster fire) year!</p><p>Quick housekeeping thingamajig: I've basically gone the weeb route and used Japanese jutsu names. I know some folks aren't familiar with the Japanese names, so here are the translations for the jutsu that have been named so far:</p><p>Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu - Fire Release/Style: Phoenix Sage Fire or Phoenix Flower Jutsu</p><p>Katon: Gōkakyu no Jutsu - Fire Release/Style: Great Fireball or Fireball Jutsu</p><p>Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku - Fire Release/Style: Great Fire Annihilation or Majestic Destroyer Flame</p><p>Katon: Gōka Messhitsu - Fire Release/Style: Great Fire Destruction or Majestic Demolisher Flame</p><p>Katon: Ryūen Hōka no Jutsu - Fire Release/Style: Dragon Flame Release Song or Dragon Flame Caterwaul</p><p>Katon: Haijingakure no Jutsu - Fire Release/Style: Hiding in Ash and Dust or Hiding in Ash Jutsu</p><p>Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō - Hidden/Secret Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals or Crystal Ice Mirrors</p><p>Doton: Tsuchi Nami no Jutsu - Earth Release/Style: Mud Wave Jutsu</p><p>Kuchiyose no Jutsu - Summoning Jutsu</p><p>Hiraishin - Flying Thunder God or Flying Raijin</p><p>Byakugō no In- Strength of a Hundred Seal</p><p>Sōzō Saisei - Creation Rebirth or Mitotic Regeneration</p><p>...and that's all, I think. If I missed some from the earlier chapters, I apologize! I'll try to include translations for any jutsu that show up in later chapters.</p><p>Now that that's done, on with the chapter!</p><p>Ah, yeah, I also don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto opened his eyes, expecting to find himself in his kitchen. Instead, he was greeted by a lush, tropical landscape. The air was humid and warm like a hot spring. Insects chirped and chattered from the surrounding flora. The sun seemed to be perpetually shining, despite it being nearly dusk in Konoha. The blond looked around, perplexed.</p><p>“What the hell? When did I get here?” He asked no one in particular.</p><p>“I brought ya here, Naruto-boy,” said a familiar elderly voice.</p><p>Naruto turned to the owner; a small, olive green-skinned toad known as Fukasaku. Said toad was sporting his usual white mohawk, bushy white eyebrows, and small goatee. A brown cloak covered his whole body, save for his head. “Grandpa Sage? Did you reverse summon me?”</p><p>“Course I did! That’s the only way to get ya here!”</p><p>Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Ah, yeah, that’s right. So, why’d you summon me? Is something going on? Did you need me for something?”</p><p>Fukasaku eyed the young sage. “Something’s different about ya, Naruto-boy. And it isn’t just your clothes, either.”</p><p>The blond stiffened. “Whaddaya mean, Grandpa Sage?”</p><p>“Come with me,” the elder toad said plainly as he turned and started walking. Naruto followed close behind until the two came to his home. Despite his time spent at Mount Myōboku, Naruto still found himself in awe of the landscape. Simply put, it was breathtaking, giant mushrooms, lily pads big and small in every pond and lake, grass that was impossibly green, and trees that bore only a single massive leaf. Water spilled out of massive, caterpillar-like structures, and with the natural features of Mount Myōboku, they made it look like another world altogether.</p><p>They came upon Fukasaku’s home: a fairly humble abode carved into the trunk of one of the massive trees that dotted the landscape. The two entered and were greeted by Fukasaku’s wife, Shima. She looked much the same as her husband, but her skin was a combination of light green on her underside and purple on top. Her hair was also done up in a fuzzy arrangement of curls.</p><p>“Welcome home, Pa,” she said jovially before she caught sight of their human guest. “Naruto! It’s good to see ya! I’m guessing Pa summoned you here?”</p><p>Naruto flashed his signature smile. “Hi, Granny Sage. Yeah, Grandpa Sage summoned me here. But he hasn’t told me why yet.”</p><p>Shima nodded. “I’m terribly sorry there’s no food ready. Had I known you’d be here I would’ve made some dinner!”</p><p>The young toad sage grimaced at the thought of being subjected to one of Shima’s meals. As full of love as they were, he was no toad, and various crawling and flying bugs just didn’t whet his appetite. “Er, no worries, Granny Sage. I’m not too hungry right now, anyways.” He took a seat at the table across from Fukasaku, who hadn’t taken his eyes off the blond.  He couldn’t help but feel a tad claustrophobic. The home was spacious enough for toads, but wasn’t particularly suited to humans larger than a child. “So, Grandpa Sage, why’d you summon me here?”</p><p>“The Great Honorable Geezer wants to talk to ya, Naruto-boy.” Fukasaku pointed a webbed finger at Naruto. “And something tells me it might have to do with those sunglasses ya got.”</p><p>Naruto flinched. “My…sunglasses?”</p><p>The elder toad sage nodded. “Come, we’d better get going. Sorry to leave so soon, Ma.”</p><p>Shima waved off his concern. “Oh, don’t you worry, Pa. I’ll get dinner going while you’re gone.” With that, Naruto and Fukasaku made their way to the temple that “The Great Honorable Geezer” resided in.</p><hr/><p>Naruto and Fukasaku walked together in silence as the ambience of Myōboku enveloped them. The elder toad was the first to speak. “See ya still got that cloak we gave ya, Naruto-boy.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah! Sakura fixed it up for me. But I don’t remember the kanji being on the back,” he said, awkwardly positioning himself to glance at the lettering in question.</p><p>Fukasaku hummed. “Come to think of it, I don’t think it was there when ya got it in the first place. That Sakura ya mentioned must have added it.” He paused his stride to catch a glimpse of the back of Naruto’s sage cloak. “Gotta admit, though, it looks pretty good. Sakura was that pink-haired girl?”</p><p>“Yup! She told me she found it after my fight with Pain. To be honest, I had kinda forgotten that I lost it. But the cloak looks cool with my outfit, don’t you think?”</p><p>The old toad shrugged. “Us toads don’t care too much about colors, seein’ as how most of us are all sorts of different colors anyhow.” He looked his apprentice over again, a smile creeping over his amphibian features. “But ya do look like a more serious sage now, especially with those sunglasses of yours.”</p><p>Naruto stiffened for a moment before relaxing back into is stride. “Heh, uh, yeah. I guess I do, huh?”</p><p>The duo crossed the threshold into the temple where the Great Toad Sage, Gamamaru, resided. The elder toad was massive, easily as large as Gamabunta, Gamahiro, and Gamaken. His wrinkly skin was a deep terra cotta, save for his white belly. In old age, his eyesight had deteriorated, and he was perpetually squinting. He wore a beaded necklace, the centermost bead bearing the same kanji for ‘oil’ that adorned Jiraiya’s forehead protector and Naruto’s sage cloak. Atop his head sat a rectangular professor’s cap with yellow tassels hanging from each corner, while the top of the cap was adorned with a large, blue orb. Naruto found himself wondering just how old the Great Sage was. He was old enough to be well-respected, even by Fukasaku, despite his shoddy memory and rather jovial disposition that bordered on senile and zany.</p><p>The “Great Honorable Geezer,” as the toads called him, sat in a large, shallow bowl of water; inscribed on said bowl were the kanji for “sage.” Flanking the bowl that Gamamaru sat in were massive scrolls, each bearing labels with a smattering of text. A bottle of sake and an accompanying glass sat to his right.</p><p>Fukasaku addressed the Great Sage first. “I have brought him.”</p><p>Naruto saluted Gamamaru. “Long time no see, Giant Gramps Sage!”</p><p>The Great Sage’s voice boomed throughout the temple. “Oho! It was indeed I who summoned you!” Gamamaru paused, motionless. “Erm. Hmmmm.” His voice shrunk in an almost comical manner. “Who’re you again?”</p><p>Naruto grimaced. “Naruto. Naruto Uzumaki,” he said with an exasperated sigh. “I really wish you’d learn my name, Giant Gramps Sage.”</p><p>“Oho! That’s right, that’s right! You’re Naruto!” Gamamaru said.</p><p>Naruto noticed Fukasaku stifle a grimace out of the corner of his eye. As wise as the Great Sage was, his memory was laughable at times; this wasn’t the first time Naruto had to remind him of his name, and it likely wouldn’t be the last.</p><p>“Naruto,” Gamamaru said. “I have seen a prophecy involving you.”</p><p>Naruto’s brows rose above his sunglasses. “A prophecy? Alright, lay it on me.”</p><p>The Great Sage cracked open one of his perpetually squinted eyes. “Ah, but you’ve brought something here, haven’t you? Something very powerful.”</p><p>The blond flinched, causing Fukasaku to turn to his pupil. “I…don’t know what you mean, Giant Gramps Sage.”</p><p>Fukasaku’s brow furrowed. “Naruto-boy, I’ve been meanin’ to ask ya. What’s with those sunglasses ya got? Ya didn’t used to wear those.”</p><p>Naruto turned to the smaller toad, all excuses he had dying in his throat under the stern look cast his way. He let out a defeated sigh. “It’s better if I show you, Grandpa Sage.” The blond removed his sunglasses. Fukasaku watched expectantly before Naruto opened his purple rippled eyes and met the small toad’s gaze.</p><p>His amphibian eyes widened as he beheld the Rinnegan. “Those eyes…”</p><p>Gamamaru hummed, catching the attention of both Fukasaku and Naruto. Both of his eyes were now half-open as he studied the young sage. “So, it’s as the prophecy foretold: the eyes of Samsāra have indeed exchanged hands.”</p><p>Naruto shrank under the Great Sage’s gaze, which held fast before returning to its signature squint. “Now, listen carefully.” There was a pause as Gamamaru chose his next words. “You will soon meet an octopus, a cat, and a beetle.”</p><p>The young sage’s face contorted into a dumbfounded frown. “Huh? An octopus? A cat? A…beetle?”</p><p>“Well, I couldn’t see too clearly; but I definitely saw octopus arms, a cat, and a beetle, no doubt about that,” Gamamaru explained. Naruto hummed, not wholly satisfied.</p><p>“It will also come to pass that you will face a young man who has been consumed by darkness and is haunted by demons of his past,” the Great Sage declared, his eyes opening to focus on the blond. Naruto’s face set into a serious expression, his Rinnegan ablaze with resolve. “But that is not all. You will face one who bears a curse; a curse of the first sin.” Naruto’s mouth drew into a tight line. His mind went back to what Nagato had told him: hatred, death, pain, war.</p><p>
  <em>‘Are these two things connected? Did Nagato somehow know about what Giant Gramps Sage would see?’</em>
</p><p>A pregnant silence passed as Naruto processed what Gamamaru had told him. A voice in the back of his head brought Naruto out of his ruminations. He looked up at the Great Sage. “Hey, Giant Gramps Sage? Do…you think you could tell me what my eyes mean?”</p><p>“What do ya mean by that, Naruto-boy?” Fukasaku asked.</p><p>Naruto let out a small sigh. “Well, I want to know what me having the Rinnegan means. I know they’re powerful. I fought Pain, and I’ve been training my new abilities; these eyes are no joke. But everyone keeps saying they’re like, super important. And to be honest? I don’t understand how. I know the Sage of Six Paths had them before Pain, whose name was actually Nagato, but that doesn’t tell me much of anything.”</p><p>The small toad’s brow furrowed. Gamamaru’s eyes opened wider once more as he hummed. “So, you know of the Sage of Six Paths, do you? And you also know that he possessed the Rinnegan as well.”</p><p>Naruto nodded. “I just wanna know what this all means,” he said with dejection.</p><p>Gamamaru focused on the young sage. “Hmm. I will tell you this: the Rinnegan can bring about the destruction or salvation of the world. Naruto Uzumaki; you are the wielder of the Rinnegan. Through your actions, the world can either be plunged into chaos, or be brought to salvation.”</p><p>Naruto stared wide-eyed at the Great Sage, his mouth agape. Any words he thought to speak never left him. Another long silence passed as Gamamaru’s declaration hung in the air. The young sage set his jaw. “Then I guess I’d better get stronger if I’m going to help the world.”</p><p>Gamamaru hummed, pleased with Naruto’s tenacity. “Gerotora! I also had a vision where you stored yourself inside Naruto,” he boomed.</p><p>A black and orange toad slightly larger than Fukasaku flinched. He appeared to be wearing an obi, though a kimono was absent. Naruto turned to Gerotora, surprised that he hadn’t noticed him when they first approached Gamamaru. “W-what?!” The toad cried.</p><p>The Great Sage craned his head to peer down at Gerotora. “Give him the Fourth Hokage’s seal,” he calmly ordered.</p><p>Gerotora crossed his arms and let out an exasperated groan. “I suppose I have no choice but to do as you say, Great Lord Elder.” With that, Gerotora’s torso extended telescopically, towering over Naruto. The apparent obi had grown, and now sandwiched a portion of his torso that was striped in black and yellow. With a gesture, a sizable scroll unrolled from his midsection, revealing one of the strangest and most complex seals Naruto had ever seen.</p><p>His eyes widened and his jaw went slack as he stared at the seal. The scroll had to be twice as long as he was tall. Written on it was a collection of sealing script that Naruto had never seen before and couldn’t even begin to make sense of. The only familiar symbol was a black swirl on the far right of the page.</p><p>Naruto blinked. “What…is this?”</p><p>“It’s the key left by the Fourth Hokage that locks and unlocks the seal on your belly!” Gerotora explained. Naruto’s face set into a stern expression as the scroll toad continued. “With this, you can let the Nine-Tails run free, if that’s what you want.”</p><p>The blond jinchūriki swallowed hard as Gerotora gestured towards the seal. “Press on that square area with your hand.” Naruto nodded before peering down at his left hand. He returned his gaze to the key as Gerotora continued. “With this, you will have the means to perfect that jutsu that Jiraiya was talking about.”</p><p>Naruto’s brow furrowed. “The key…to release the Nine-Tails’ seal.” He looked down again at his hand as Gerotora watched expectantly.</p><p>A short silence passed before the scroll toad spoke. “Are you unsure, Naruto?”</p><p>The blond jinchūriki simply stood there, staring at the scroll.</p><p>Fukasaku turned to the blond. “What are you waiting for? Press the Storing Square!”</p><p>Gerotora crossed his arms. “You’re unsure, aren’t you, Naruto? I can’t say that I blame you.”</p><p>Fukasaku turned to the scroll toad. “What do you mean?” He asked incredulously.</p><p>“Lord Fukasaku, the Nine-Tails gets its power by merging its chakra with its will,” Gerotora began. Naruto and Fukasaku listened intently as he continued. “To control this power, you must isolate only the Nine-Tails’ chakra, and assimilate it into your own chakra to make it your own power.</p><p>“But it’s easier said than done; if you pull out the Nine-Tails’ chakra, you also draw out its will. The Nine-Tails’ will is a mass of hatred that binds itself tightly to chakra. No matter how hard you try to shield yourself, it will find some hatred that you have buried deep inside and will try to overtake you.”</p><p>Naruto quietly thought back to how he saw red during his fight with Pain; his father was the one who stopped him before he was too far gone. His reminiscing was cut short by Gerotora. “In other words, controlling the Nine-Tails’ power means taking its will <em>and</em> its chakra and completely separating the two with your <em>own</em> strong will, which should harbor no hatred.”</p><p>The scroll toad paused, allowing Fukasaku and Naruto to take in what he’d just told them before continuing. “The Fourth Hokage made the Nine-Tails’ seal in a way that allows a small amount of its chakra to leak out of the cage in the hopes that it would naturally become one with Naruto’s own chakra. It is known as the Eight Trigram Sealing Formula, and it creates a double-interface Tetragram Seal.”</p><p>“But if this key is used to open the Tetragram Seal, you could pull out <em>all </em>of the Nine-Tails’ chakra!” Gerotora warned.</p><p>“And that means all of the Nine-Tails’ will would tag along with all of its chakra!” Fukasaku concluded.</p><p>“And as soon as Naruto’s will loses to the Nine-Tails’ will, the Nine-Tails will be completely resurrected!” The scroll toad added.</p><p>Naruto and Fukasaku let the information soak in before Fukasaku spoke up again. “And has the key ever been used?”</p><p>Gerotora hummed. “A while ago, the Tetragram Seal was weakening. So, in order to control Naruto, who was starting to transform into the Nine-Tails during training, Jiraiya used the key to tighten the seal on him.” Naruto replayed the memory of his training with the white-haired sage. He was training particularly hard when some of the fox’s chakra had leaked out, and he had slapped a seal on his forehead that suppressed the malevolent chakra. After that, the world went black.</p><p>“Jiraiya was greatly concerned,” Gerotora continued. “If the Fourth Hokage’s Sealing formula was beginning to weaken, there was no telling when Naruto would transform into the Nine-Tails again.” Naruto deflated slightly as the toad continued. “Jiraiya wanted the seal to be opened deliberately for just a short while in order to drill Naruto into developing the power to resist the Nine-Tails’ will. But it didn’t work.”</p><p>Naruto found his voice. “I didn’t mean to hurt Pervy Sage. It’s just. The harder I try to become strong, the tighter the grip of the Nine-Tails’ will becomes. He totally ignores my will and tries to hurt everyone in my path.” <em>‘And that was before I got the Rinnegan. Who knows what could happen if I lost control now?’</em> He wondered to himself; he didn’t want to think about the possibilities.</p><p>“That was the result of opening Naruto’s seal just a tiny bit,” Gerotora stated.</p><p>Fukasaku turned to his blond protégé. “So that’s the reason for the scar on Jiraiya-boy’s chest.” He turned back to the scroll toad. “And then what happened?”</p><p>“Nothing good,” Gerotora said flatly.</p><p>Naruto’s gaze turned to the ground as he spoke quietly. “When I fought Orochimaru with Sasuke, I let some of the Nine-Tails’ chakra out; I tried to access it to make me stronger. I nearly lost control of myself. He knocked me, Sakura, and Captain Yamato unconscious. The thought of Sasuke being captured by him woke me up, and nearly sent me into a blind rage. We were lucky that nobody besides Orochimaru got hurt. Seeing Sasuke get the drop on him snapped me out of it.</p><p>“During my fight with Pain, when Hinata got hurt…all I saw was red. I must have really lost control.” He peered down at Fukasaku, who was watching Naruto intently. “I almost freed him. I almost undid the seal. I just remember feeling so…helpless. The fox told me he could save me from my suffering. I was stupid enough to believe him. The Fourth Hokage…” Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat. “He snapped me out of it that time. He fixed the seal before he just…left. Disappeared, I guess.</p><p>“Right now, I feel safe, since the Fourth Hokage’s seal was tightened. With the Rinnegan, I don’t need to rely on the fox’s chakra as much. But it might act up again at any time. Yet, in order to keep everyone safe, I have to get stronger, which means using the Nine-Tails’ chakra. I’m the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki, after all. I…can’t hide from that forever,” he said with quiet finality.</p><p>Naruto’s words hung in the air for a long moment. He clenched his right hand into a fist before relaxing it and bringing it up, channeling chakra into his fingertips. He went to the scroll and pressed them into the square. He expected some sort of change to the markings on the scroll. Nothing happened.</p><p>“Contract complete. I’m going into storage!” Gerotora announced.</p><p>Naruto turned to the extended toad, a perplexed look on his face. “Huh? Going into storage?”</p><p>The scroll portion of Gerotora’s body rolled itself back up before shrinking down and returning to its obi-like appearance. “You don’t need to do a thing. Just keep your mouth open.”</p><p>Naruto pointed to said body part. “My mouth?”</p><p>“That’s right, now say ‘ahh,’” the scroll toad instructed.</p><p>The blond did as he was told, opening his mouth wide enough to fit a sizeable portion of ramen.</p><p>“Wider!”</p><p>Naruto let out a frustrated groan before opening his mouth even wider, as though he were about to yell at Sasuke. Holding it open took some effort, but he sallied forth.</p><p>“Here I go…into storage.” Not a second later, Gerotora flew into Naruto’s mouth, eliciting a surprised and muffled shriek from the blond. However, only half of Gerotora made it into Naruto’s mouth, and his torso was hanging out. His legs kicked the air to try and force himself down the jinchūriki’s throat and into his stomach.</p><p>“Hey! Open wider!” His voice was muffled. “Are you going to let me go into storage?!”</p><p>Naruto fidgeted with his hands raised in the air; this was the most unpleasant thing he’d ever experienced, and he was no stranger to unpleasant situations. It took all of his self-control not to gag and throw up the dinner he had just eaten. His leaking eyes were the size of extra-large ramen bowls, wondering just why in the world Gerotora had to go into storage through his mouth. He loathed how slimy the toad felt as his fingers twitched.</p><p>Just as he thought he couldn’t hold out any longer, Fukasaku barreled toward Naruto’s face, his leg extended in a flying kick. With a thud, he connected with Gerotora’s rear, sending him on his way into Naruto’s belly with a sickening gulp. Naruto froze, fighting to stay conscious. He fell onto his hands and knees, gagging and dry heaving.</p><p>Fukasaku stood before the distressed blond, satisfied with the results of his assistance. “Okay, storage complete! I’m sending ya back to Konoha! After that, we’ll have to plan to look for the creatures that were mentioned.”</p><p>Naruto shakily raised his head. “Oh, right…Giant Gramps Sage prophesized that I would meet an octopus, a cat and…a bug? Where are they, anyway? Can’t you guys give me more clues?”</p><p>Gamamaru turned to the prostrate jinchūriki. “It’s not terribly clear, but it looked as though you would meet them on your travels.”</p><p>Naruto sat up. “My travels?”</p><p>Gamamaru squinted the young sage. “No doubt, you will walk along the path set before you. In due time you will encounter them.”</p><p>Naruto saluted the Great Sage. “Yes sir!” He rose to his feet and turned to Fukasaku, replacing his sunglasses. “So, Konoha?” The small toad nodded, bowing to Gamamaru before leading Naruto outside.</p><p>“Well, it was good to see ya, Naruto-boy. Don’t hesitate to summon Kichi or Tatsu if ya need anything. I would hold off on summoning Bunta for a bit, he’s still recoverin’.”</p><p>The young sage gave a thumbs-up, flashing his signature smile. “No problem, Grandpa Sage.”</p><p>Fukasaku peered up at the blond. “And Naruto?” The jinchūriki hummed, turning to the small toad as he spoke sincerely. “Get strong, but be careful.” With that, Fukasaku wove through hand seals and slammed his webbed hand onto the ground. Naruto vanished in a plume of smoke.</p><hr/><p>When the smoke cleared, Naruto found himself back in his apartment. He removed his sunglasses, examining the state of the place. He turned to see Sasuke staring at him from the couch, a scroll in his lap.</p><p>“Uh, hey,” Naruto said lamely.</p><p>Sasuke heaved a sigh through his nose. “Should I ask?”</p><p>The blond shrugged. “You can.”</p><p>“Then I’m asking.”</p><p>“Long story short, I got summoned to Mount Myōboku. Giant Gramps Sage wanted to talk to me,” Naruto explained, taking a seat on the couch next to his roommate. Surprisingly, there were still ghosts of sunlight outside, though the sky had turned a deep purple. The first stars were peeking through the veil of twilight. Naruto distinctly remembered the sun having begun to set when he and Sasuke ate dinner. Time seemed to pass more slowly in the land of the toads. That, or his meeting with Gamamaru was shorter than he thought.</p><p>Sasuke hummed, turning his attention back to the scroll. “So you didn’t fuck up whatever jutsu you were doing, after all,” he said matter-of-factly.</p><p>Naruto snorted. “No, I didn’t. That cloud of smoke from earlier was Grandpa Sage reverse summoning me.”</p><p>“Makes sense. So, what did they talk to you about?”</p><p>The blond laced his fingers together behind his head and shrugged. “Oh, ya know, just some stuff.”</p><p>“Spill, Uzumaki,” Sasuke ordered, still not taking his eyes off the scroll. When he was met with silence, Sasuke turned to see his roommate with a far-off look in his eyes.</p><p>“A lot, actually.” Naruto’s tone carried the weight of his conversation with Gamamaru.</p><p>“Are you allowed to tell anyone?” Sasuke inquired.</p><p>Naruto let a tired sigh escape him. “He knew about my Rinnegan—Giant Gramps Sage, I mean.”</p><p>Sasuke raised an eyebrow before shrugging, reaching for his cup of tea. “That’s not too surprising. He’s the Great Toad Sage, right? The really old one?”</p><p>Naruto nodded. “Funny thing about Giant Gramps Sage: he’s really vague, and I mean <em>really</em> vague whenever he’s telling you something important.”</p><p>“Well, what’d he tell you?”</p><p>“He told me I’d meet an octopus, a cat, and a bug. Or was it a beetle? Yeah, it was a beetle. An octopus, a cat, and a beetle.”</p><p>Sasuke’s brow furrowed, his mouth shifting into a frown. “The hell’s that supposed to mean?”</p><p>Naruto snorted. Unlacing his hands from behind his head, shrugging before slapping them onto his thighs. “Beats me. Like I said, The Geezer is <em>vague.</em>”</p><p>“No kidding. What else did he tell you?”</p><p>The blond took a moment to choose his next words. “He told me I’d be fighting evil people.”</p><p>“He didn’t tell you who?”</p><p>“Nope. Just that I’d be fighting evil people.”</p><p>It was Sasuke’s turn to snort. “No offense to the Great Toad Sage, but even <em>I</em> could’ve told you that.”</p><p>Naruto shrugged once more. “It’s a prophecy, not a roadmap. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself.” He paused, hesitating about whether he should mention what else he had learned.</p><p>He took the leap, his voice barely above a whisper. “I…found out more about my eyes.”</p><p>Sasuke blinked at his roommate and matched his whisper. “And…what’d you find out?”</p><p>Naruto leaned forward slightly, folding his hands in his lap while he twiddled his thumbs. “Well, I had a feeling they were important, but…” He took a deep breath, forcing his hands to sit still. “Turns out they’re more important than I thought.”</p><p>Sasuke let out his own sigh. “How important are we talking?”</p><p>Naruto studied his hands before turning to his roommate and pointing to one of his purple rippled eyes. “Apparently these things can either save the world or completely destroy it.”</p><p>The statement hung in the air as the two young men stared at each other. Sasuke tried to find words to form a response, but they eluded him. Naruto sat and waited for his roommate to say something, anything. He deflated at the silence.</p><p>A long moment passed before Sasuke finally found his voice again. “I know for a fact you’re not gonna destroy the world. You’re the last person who would want that.”</p><p>Naruto let out the breath he’d been holding. He debated on whether he should tell Sasuke about the seal. He’d told him about the prophecy, so talking about the seal couldn’t hurt. Though, he’d have a bit of fun in doing so.</p><p>“Oh, yeah. I also swallowed a toad.”</p><p>Sasuke nearly choked on the sip of tea he’d taken. His head snapped towards his roommate. “You fucking <em>what?</em>”</p><p>“You heard me. Swallowed a toad.”</p><p>Sasuke opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut, choosing his next words carefully. “Look, Naruto. I know everyone has their quirks, and is into different things, but that’s—”</p><p>Naruto put his hands up in front of him, his face twisted into an incredulous expression. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold on just a freaking second! It’s not like I <em>enjoyed </em>it or anyth—”</p><p>“Oh no, he’s in denial,” Sasuke said to himself.</p><p>Naruto pointed at his roommate, fuming. “Listen to me, you stupid sack of tomatoes! I had no idea—zero—that I’d have to <em>swallow a fucking toad!</em> Secondly, the toad I swallowed had the—” He took a deep breath, lowering his finger and the volume of his voice. “He’s a scroll toad. He had the key to the seal that’s keeping the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of me.”</p><p>Sasuke froze. “The…key? To your seal? But why?”</p><p>Another sigh escaped the blond jinchūriki. “I know I have the Rinnegan now, and I know I’m stronger than I was before. But I still need to get stronger if I’m going to protect everyone I care about. Learning to use the Nine-Tails’ chakra is part of that.” He turned to his roommate. “I’m the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, Sasuke. It’s time I stopped trying to run away from that. If I can somehow learn to <em>use</em> the Fox’s chakra without losing control, I’d be even stronger.”</p><p>“I mean, I know what you mean. At least I think I do. But…that chakra is dangerous. Are you sure about this? The Rinnegan is one thing, but the Fox…” Sasuke’s mouth drew into a tight line.</p><p>Naruto put a hand on Sasuke’s shoulder, his amethyst eyes looking directly into Sasuke’s onyx ones, ablaze with determination. “I’m positive. It won’t be now, but at some point, I <em>will</em> learn to use the Fox’s chakra.” Sasuke nodded, prompting the blond to release his shoulder.</p><p>“I think I’m gonna head to bed. It’s been a day,” he said as he rose to his feet, stifling a yawn. He made his way to his room. “Goodnight, Sasuke,” he called back.</p><p>“Goodnight, Naruto,” Sasuke responded, turning back to the scroll on his lap. He would turn in later, only after nearly falling asleep while reading through another scroll.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ah, I do love writing interactions between Naruto and Sasuke. Did you catch the reference? I sure hope you did, because you get another cookie, if so. Please feel free to let me know if you would prefer the translation notes at the beginning or the end of the chapter. As always, thanks so much for reading! Chapter 14 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Cherry, Mint, Green Tea, and Cinnamon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sakura works with Haku to refine her ice jutsu, while Sasuke and Hinata have a chance encounter.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Surprise! Happy holidays to everyone! As my gift, here's chapter 14!</p>
<p>Hmmm. Nope! Still don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sakura’s shift at the hospital had been surprisingly uneventful. Tsunade was preoccupied with Hokage business, and Shizune relayed the message that she wouldn’t be able to train with her that day. It was disheartening, but Sakura understood. She was just gathering her things when she ran into Haku, who was also finishing up for the day.</p>
<p>“How’d your shift go, Haku?” She asked, slinging her bag over her shoulder.</p>
<p>Haku gathered his own effects into his rucksack. “It was alright. There were a couple of prospective academy students that needed checkups, so I helped with those. A few workers came in with fatigue, but I guess that’s to be expected with the ongoing construction. Are you heading straight home?”</p>
<p>“I was going to train with Lady Tsunade, but Shizune said she’s busy. Plus, Ino doesn’t get done until later. Her dad is really showing her the ropes over at T&amp;I.” An idea popped into her head. “Hey, are you doing anything?”</p>
<p>Haku hummed as the two medics started making their way out. “Nothing in particular, why?”</p>
<p>“You wanna go train?”</p>
<p>The coal-haired medic pondered the question as they stepped into the open air. “Sure, what do you want to work on?”</p>
<p>A smile spread across Sakura’s face. “I’ll tell you when we get there. Meet me at Training Ground 7 in an hour. See you!” With that, she rushed home to get ready.</p><hr/>
<p>By the time Haku arrived at the training ground, Sakura was already doing stretches to limber up. They had both changed into their ninja gear, and Sakura noted how similar Haku’s looked to what he wore when they first met.</p>
<p>She flashed him a smile. “Thanks for coming.”</p>
<p>“It’s no problem. I’m glad to help,” he replied, returning the smile. “So, what did you want to work on?” He asked, beginning his own stretches.</p>
<p>Sakura rolled her shoulders. “Well, you know how we worked on Makyō Hyōshō?”</p>
<p>“Of course. You improved quite a bit after we drilled it.”</p>
<p>“Well, I was thinking; what if we made it collaborative somehow?”</p>
<p>Haku paused mid-lunge, straightening himself. “Collaborative? How, exactly?”</p>
<p>Sakura clapped her hands together. “More mirrors, and both of us in the dome.”</p>
<p>Haku’s brow furrowed as he brought a hand to his chin, thinking over her proposal. Makyō Hyōshō was already a powerful jutsu on its own, but he wondered what the benefits of adding a second person with more mirrors would be. There would need to be precise coordination, to be certain. Especially given the risk of colliding with one-another during transitions from one mirror to the next.</p>
<p>However, being able to double the number of possible strikes was the key benefit that including another person would add. In the past, he was limited to senbon and ice needles. If he could work up Sakura’s speed, she might be able to land chakra-enhanced punches to stagger the target even further. He trusted Sakura and her abilities, so he figured it would be worth a shot.</p>
<p>Haku turned his attention back to the pink-haired kunoichi, who had an expectant look on her face. “You know, that’s not a bad idea. Let’s see if we can’t do something to make it collaborative.”</p>
<p>Sakura couldn’t help but squeak. “Great! Let’s get started!”</p><hr/>
<p>The two medics sat on the ground across from each other, groaning as they nursed various bruises on their shoulders, arms, and legs; as well as the bumps forming on their heads. They had tried and failed multiple times to work collaboratively on Makyō Hyōshō, resulting in collisions galore. It was lucky that there were no senbon thrown yet, lest one of them end up as a pin cushion.</p>
<p>“Well that…happened,” Haku said lamely, healing one of the larger bruises on his arm.</p>
<p>Sakura let herself fall onto her back, reaching for the sky. “I thought it would work better than…whatever that was.” She sat up, an apologetic look on her face. “I’m so sorry I ran into you so many times. I thought I was quicker than that.”</p>
<p>Haku shook his head. “It’s less a speed thing and more a coordination thing. We’re so used to doing the jutsu by ourselves that adding a second person in threw us off.” He finished healing the worst of his bruises, wincing slightly as he forced his body to heal more rapidly.</p>
<p>“Well, how can we fix it? I want to refine it to where we’ll be able to use it at some point,” Sakura said, pulling her knees to her chest.</p>
<p>Haku sat cross-legged, planting an elbow on his knee and resting his chin in his palm. He hummed, drumming his fingers against his top lip. He sat up, shrugging and letting his hands rest on his knees. “You know, I think the problem was we were trying to both jump mirrors at the same time.”</p>
<p>Sakura tilted her head, her bubblegum pink locks following suit. She considered his theory for a moment before nodding slowly. “You know, that makes sense. I think we have to time it. One person can’t go until the other does.”</p>
<p>“That sounds solid,” Haku agreed, rising to his feet. “Here’s what I think: I lead it off, then you move and strike. That way it’s an alternation between light, disorienting strikes and heavy hitters. Do you think you could land chakra-enhanced punches at that speed?”</p>
<p>The kunoichi followed suit and stood up, shrugging. “I don’t see why not. What should we use as target practice?”</p>
<p>Haku answered by creating a water clone.</p>
<p>Sakura nodded before slapping a hand over her fist. “Alright. Let’s do this. Ready?”</p>
<p>Haku gave a firm nod.</p>
<p>The two ice users placed themselves equidistant from their target before molding chakra. The temperature of the air surrounding them dropped to freezing as they brought their hands up into the unique hand seal.</p>
<p>“Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō,” they said in unison.</p>
<p>Not a second later, a dome made of floating sheets of ice materialized around the water clone. Haku and Sakura each stepped into a sheet of ice, causing their image to appear on each sheet, like mirrors.</p>
<p>“Remember: move after me,” Haku instructed. Sakura gave a small nod.</p>
<p>Haku sent a senbon flying towards the water clone. An instant later, Sakura flew from her mirror to the one across from it, delivering a right hook to the clone along the way. Haku followed up with another senbon. Sakura moved to a new mirror, landing another blow. The cycle repeated over and over at blinding speed until the clone melted into a puddle from the damage it received.</p>
<p>The two ice users stepped out of the mirrors, each breathing deeply to steady their racing hearts. The ice mirrors melted, becoming a large puddle. They carefully sat down, feeling the exhaustion that came with successfully performing the jutsu.</p>
<p>“I’d call that a success,” Haku panted.</p>
<p>Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow. “I think so, too,” she called back before heaving a sigh. “Jeez, was it always this tiring for you?”</p>
<p>Haku hummed as he took a drink from his water bottle. “It used to be slightly more tiring when I was younger. Training and building up my chakra reserves made it easier.”</p>
<p>Sakura did the same, the cool water bringing sweet relief to her dry mouth. “That makes sense. Was my speed better that time?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Though, it was still slower than senbon needles. But I suppose that’s to be expected, since punches are naturally slower, especially with that much power behind them.”</p>
<p>Sakura’s brow furrowed as she cast a glare at him. “You’re not saying what I think you’re saying, are you?” Surely, Haku couldn’t be trying to say that her strength was monstrous, as Naruto had done more times than she cared for.</p>
<p>Haku raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Not at all! Just that punches are naturally slower, since you’re moving more of your arm as opposed to when you throw a senbon.”</p>
<p>The pink-haired kunoichi’s irritation was sated by her friend’s explanation, which made him inwardly sigh in relief. He’d never been on the receiving end of Sakura’s temper, but he’d heard stories from Naruto, which was enough to keep him on his toes. Haku stood up, stretching his arms.</p>
<p>“Normally I’d say we should spar, but I feel spent after that last jutsu,” he said as he gathered up his senbon.</p>
<p>Sakura hummed in agreement. “Yeah, I guess we should call it a day? I should probably go talk to Lady Tsunade about some stuff, too.”</p>
<p>“Alright then. Well, good work today, Sakura. See you tomorrow,” Haku said, smiling warmly.</p>
<p>Sakura returned the smile and headed off to the Hokage tower. “See you Haku!”</p><hr/>
<p>Sasuke sipped on his green tea, a plate of skipjack onigiri sitting in front of him. The Jasmine Dragon was quiet at this hour, since most people went to other restaurants for early dinner. His training session with Yūgao was especially intense, and his arms were sore enough to vouch for that. He would have helped Naruto with his lightning Rasengan, but the blond noticed he was especially worn out, and reassured Sasuke that he’d be alright. Sasuke was secretly glad Naruto didn’t need his help today.</p>
<p>The tea was relaxing, the onigiri delicious, and the atmosphere was picturesque. Hiro took pride in his lotus flowers and the simple beauty they had. He claimed that they added just the right touch of class to the quaint tea shop.</p>
<p>Sasuke was enjoying another sip of his tea when he spotted something that nearly made him spit it out: a head of long, dark blue hair belonging to Hinata Hyūga. Small fires broke out on Sasuke’s cheeks and ears as his heart skipped a few beats. He nearly keeled over when their eyes met, and she glided towards him. Sasuke fought to stay conscious as she sat down across from him, that kind, warm smile adorning her doll-like face.</p>
<p>Sasuke swallowed hard as he willed his cheeks to calm themselves, though his ears ignored him. He cleared his throat quietly as he fumbled through his words. “G-good evening, Hinata.”</p>
<p>“Good evening, Sasuke. How have things been going?” She asked in an almost singsong manner.</p>
<p>“They’re good. J-just training a lot, helping Naruto out with stuff.”</p>
<p>Her smile faltered slightly at the mention of her crush, her cheeks turning a light pink. “Oh, I see. Um. Is…he doing alright?”</p>
<p>Sasuke set down his teacup, giving a small nod. “He’s fine. He’s been doing a lot of training recently.” He glanced up and met Hinata’s lavender eyes. “What about you? How have you been doing?”</p>
<p>Kozu arrived with Hinata’s order: green tea and a jumbo cinnamon roll. She thanked him and offered her gratitude before having a sip of tea. “I’ve been alright. I’ve also been doing a lot of training. Though, a lot of it has been on my own.” She finished on a slightly dejected note before digging into her cinnamon roll.</p>
<p>Sasuke tilted his head slightly. “Neither Neji nor Lord Hiashi have helped you at all?”</p>
<p>Hinata let out a sigh. “No. Neji has been busy, and father…well…h-he’s been helping Hanabi more.”</p>
<p>The Uchiha frowned before taking a bite of an onigiri. He eyed the large, icing-glazed confection that Hinata ordered. “That’s a cinnamon roll?”</p>
<p>She nodded happily. “They’re my absolute favorite! Have you ever had them?”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed as he chewed on another bite of onigiri. “I can’t say I have.” He didn’t want to deflate her enthusiasm with his aversion to sweet things. “I don’t usually order dessert here.”</p>
<p>“Oh! Would you like to try some of mine? There’s plenty to share, so don’t worry,” she chirped as she tore a small piece off.</p>
<p>Sasuke eyed the morsel, noting that it had a small amount of icing on it. He was never one for sweets, and although he didn’t abhor it, cinnamon wasn’t his favorite spice. Despite the protests from the voice in the back of his head, he reached and took the piece from Hinata. “Sure. Thanks, Hinata.” His own voice sounded far off, and the protests from his inner monologue had turned into a string of shouted curses and insults.</p>
<p>The icing, as expected, was cloyingly sweet; Sasuke fought to keep his expression neutral. However, the cinnamon and sugar that coated the inside of the flaky pastry was surprisingly well-balanced. The cinnamon brought a nice warmth, while the sugar merely brought sweet undertones. The pastry wasn’t too dense and served as a tasty vessel for the cinnamon and sugar mixture. He chewed pensively as Hinata watched with her characteristic smile. Sasuke fought to keep his cheeks from turning pink as he caught sight of that smile he adored.</p>
<p>After a moment, he found his voice. “That’s…actually pretty good,” he conceded. He surprised himself with how much he enjoyed it. <em>‘Huh. That really wasn’t too bad. I normally don’t like sweets but, that was good. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t too sweet. That, or I didn’t get too much of that icing.’</em> He took a sip of tea, still stuck on the fact that he had eaten something sweet and not gagged. He was brought out of his thoughts by Hinata’s giggle, ringing like a small bell.</p>
<p>“Do you not really like sweets?”</p>
<p>Sasuke shook his head meekly. “Not since I was younger. My mom tried giving me sweets, but I would take one bite and leave the rest.” He scratched his cheek, a sheepish expression painting his features. “Come to think of it, that was pretty rotten of me.”</p>
<p>Her soft giggle rang out once more. “Well, you were still little, so I think it’s forgivable.”</p>
<p>He shrugged as he took another bite of his onigiri. The sight of Hinata tucking into a cinnamon roll that was almost the size of a small melon was unexpected, to say the least. Sasuke decided to delve a little deeper. For all he knew about her position as a member of the main Hyūga family, he didn’t know much about her personality. All he knew was that she was soft-spoken, shy, not very sure of herself, and turned into a puddle whenever Naruto was around. She also tended to fidget with her fingers often.</p>
<p>“I’m guessing you like sweets?” Sasuke cringed at how obvious his question was.</p>
<p>“Sweets are one of my favorite things.” She took a sip of tea.</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed. “What sort of sweets do you like?”</p>
<p>“Well, all kinds, really; dango, mochi, sweet red bean soup. Cinnamon rolls and sweet bean jam are two of my favorites, though.”</p>
<p>“That why you come here?”</p>
<p>“Well, yes and no. When I had the dango the first time we came here, I thought it was delicious. I usually get cinnamon rolls from the bakery, but when I saw they had some here, I just had to try them. I asked Mr. Hiro who makes them, and apparently Asuka is the one who makes the cinnamon rolls.” She gestured to the onigiri in Sasuke’s hand. “Kozu makes the onigiri.”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed as he chewed, eyeing the savory parcel in his hand. “You come here often, then?”</p>
<p>Hinata shrunk slightly, her porcelain cheeks dusted with light pink. “I…well, the tea is good. The food is delicious, and it’s relaxing.”</p>
<p>He simply nodded, satisfied with her answer. The two continued to eat quietly, both trying to find something to talk about. Hinata’s silence and fidgeting made it clear that she didn’t want to be rude and ask him something too personal, or ask too many questions about Naruto. Sasuke fought his nerves while also trying to come up with a conversation topic that wouldn’t lead to a dead end.</p>
<p>Sasuke took another sip of tea before he found his voice again. “Do you really do most of your training by yourself?”</p>
<p>Hinata stiffened slightly before giving a meek nod, her voice quiet. “Neji is usually busy now that he’s a jōnin; he never says what he’s up to, though. I used to train with him a lot. Father would watch us when we did, but…now…”</p>
<p>Sasuke let out a sigh, setting his teacup down gently. “I know how you feel.”</p>
<p>Hinata snapped her lavender gaze to the Uchiha. “Y-you do?”</p>
<p>He nodded. “When I was younger, my dad used to train my brother tirelessly. He trained me some, but never really to the same extent he did with my brother. I would ask my brother to train me, and he used to promise that he would. But every time I asked him, he just used to tell me he would train me another time.” He took a deep breath, a far-off look in his eyes. Hinata stared at him as he continued. “I wound up doing a lot of my training by myself. Naruto and I only recently started sparring more intensely together, what with our training trips and such.” He shook his head, snapping himself out of his reminiscing.</p>
<p>Hinata spoke quietly. “I had no idea you trained so much by yourself. I always thought you and Naruto trained together even before all of this happened.” Her voice dropped to just above a whisper. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>He huffed good-naturedly. “Don’t be. It made me stronger and brought me and Naruto closer.” Sasuke’s onyx eyes were full of resolution as he met Hinata’s lavender ones. “You’re strong. I still remember the fight you put up during the Chūnin Exams. Hell, I even heard about how you took on Pain.” Hinata stiffened at the mention of her most recent endeavor. “And even if you train by yourself, you’re not alone. You have your team and your friends.”</p>
<p>Hinata’s eyes widened, a light pink blush adorning her cheeks. In that moment, Hinata swore Sasuke sounded just like Naruto. But something about how his circumstances were similar to hers struck a chord within the Hyūga princess. He, too, was from a prominent clan, and had been overlooked in favor of an older sibling. She’d heard that Itachi was a prodigy, same as Neji. She could tell that Sasuke counted her among his friends, despite the fact they didn’t talk much.</p>
<p>“Th-thank you, S-Sasuke,” she stammered.</p>
<p>Sasuke realized what he said, and once again fought to keep his cheeks from turning tomato red. “Y-you’re welcome, Hinata.”</p>
<p>Hinata regained her composure and set her teacup on her now cleaned plate. “I should probably get going. Father is expecting me home soon. Thank you for talking with me, Sasuke.” She finished with that sickeningly sweet smile of hers.</p>
<p>Sasuke returned her smile with one of his own. “Yeah, of course. It was nice catching up with you.”</p>
<p>With that, they bade each other goodnight and returned to their respective abodes. Sasuke had found a new appreciation for cinnamon rolls.</p><hr/>
<p>Sasuke returned to the apartment to find Naruto inhaling a cup of instant ramen. The blond turned, noodles hanging from his mouth, and offered a muffled greeting. Sasuke grimaced at the all too familiar sight.</p>
<p>“Yo. Don’t talk with your mouth full, either, brainless,” he quipped.</p>
<p>Naruto swallowed the noodles. “Sorry, <em>mom.</em> Where were you, anyway?”</p>
<p>“Having some tea,” Sasuke replied plainly.</p>
<p>“Don’t we have tea here?”</p>
<p>“I went to The Jasmine Dragon.”</p>
<p>“Oh, fancy. How was it?”</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged as he put a kettle of water on to boil and retrieved his own ramen cup. The onigiri were good, but he was still feeling hungry. “It was good. You know Hiro makes a damned good cup of tea.” He paused, choosing his next words as he felt his ears heat up. “I ran into Hinata, actually.”</p>
<p>Naruto slurped up more noodles before cooing. “Really? How’d it go? Did you pass out?”</p>
<p>Sasuke snorted as the water boiled. “You wish. It actually went okay. We talked about stuff. How her training is going. Ya know, small talk.” He brought his ramen cup to the table and sat, offering thanks for the food before digging in. “Oh yeah, she got me to try a cinnamon roll, too,” he remarked nonchalantly.</p>
<p>Naruto nearly choked on his noodles and stared at his roommate. “She got you to do <em>what?!</em>”</p>
<p>Sasuke slurped up a mouthful of noodles. “It was pretty good, not gonna lie. The icing was really sweet, but the cinnamon and sugar in the middle? Delicious. The pastry? Also delicious. I had no idea they even served those there.”</p>
<p>Naruto stared at his roommate like he had grown a second head. “You? Ate something <em>sweet?</em> And you didn’t throw up? Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke?”</p>
<p>“Hey, I tried a bite and I liked it. That so hard to believe?” Sasuke asked, stifling a laugh.</p>
<p>Naruto huffed, pouted, and blew a raspberry. “I guess not. It’s just unexpected, y’know? Hinata loves sweets, though. Like, <em>really</em> loves sweets.”</p>
<p>“So she said. I’m okay with the cinnamon rolls, just don’t expect me to be eating skewers upon skewers of sweet dango like Anko-sensei does.”</p>
<p>“I think if you did start doing that, I’d have to snap you out of whatever genjutsu you were under.”</p>
<p>Sasuke tapped his chopsticks against his chin. “You know, maybe I should try mochi next.”</p>
<p>“You’re an ass, ya know that?” Naruto tried to suppress a laugh.</p>
<p>Sasuke simply downed another mouthful of noodles. “Oh yeah, did you make any progress with the lightning Rasengan?”</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged. “Sort of. I tried it out on a couple of trees. I noticed that when it hits, it explodes, and the lightning goes everywhere. Like, it jumps to other trees. There were charred spots where the others got hit.”</p>
<p>“That makes sense; lightning tends to arc to other things. Have you thought of what to do with it besides use it like a normal Rasengan?” He asked as he got up to toss his spent foam cup.</p>
<p>“Well, I was thinking I could try and get to a point where I could throw it like the Rasenshuriken. During my fight with Pain I was able to make it bigger. Maybe I could make it explode in mid-air or something?”</p>
<p>Sasuke sat and took a sip of tea. “That’s a good idea, actually. It’d probably be easy to learn since you’ve done something similar in the past. Try it out, see if it works.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded before rising and pushing his chair in. “I think I’m gonna check out the Hiraishin scroll again and hit the hay. Night, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>“See you tomorrow, Naruto. Don’t fry your brain too much,” he sneered good-naturedly, which was answered by Naruto’s middle finger. Both chuckled as they retired to their respective rooms.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fluff! Fluff is nice, isn't it? Personally, I think the world could use more fluff. I wanted to give Haku and Sakura some love in this chapter. A collaborative jutsu felt like a good way to get them to work together outside of stuff they do as medics at the hospital. Wouldn't ya know it, Sasuke tried a cinnamon roll and liked it.</p>
<p>Jutsu translations:</p>
<p>Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō - Hidden/Secret Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals or Crystal Ice Mirrors</p>
<p>Hiraishin - Flying Thunder God or Flying Raijin</p>
<p>One more thing! I'm on Tumblr now! Follow my blog, if you so desire: https://karamidori.tumblr.com/ (or just search up "karamidori")!</p>
<p>As always, thank you so much for reading! Chapter 15 is in the works! Happy holidays, everyone!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Paper Trees</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Konan reflects on how things have changed while Sasuke and Naruto continue honing their elemental jutsu.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy 2021 to all! Honestly, we all deserve at least a T-shirt that says "I survived 2020" or something. But in all seriousness, thank goodness 2020 is over. Here's to a new and hopefully better year! At any rate, I humbly present to you: chapter 15!</p>
<p>Nah, I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Konan sat at her kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea after having finished her breakfast of eggs over rice. The apartment she was provided was in good condition and a decent size. Sunlight streaked in through the window above the sink, which gave a clear view of the blue, cloud-streaked sky outside. The songs of birds perched on a nearby rooftop could be faintly heard.</p>
<p>The serenity of the morning was almost entirely lost on the azure-haired woman. She usually relished peaceful mornings such as this one, but the tranquility that usually came with them was tainted by her visit to T&amp;I the night before. She had gone in for another evaluation to ensure she wasn’t conspiring against the village in any way, which meant that Inoichi Yamanaka had to peruse her mind for any evidence of treachery. Of course, they found none, yet Konan still felt uneasy about having her thoughts essentially invaded. She understood the necessity to be thorough, especially given her status as a former S-ranked criminal and former member of what was essentially a terrorist organization, but it still made for an unpleasant experience. A sigh escaped her lips as she set her teacup down.</p>
<p>She extended her fingers, letting her eyes wander over her nails, which she still painted amber to match her eyes. Konan sat like this for a little while; looking at her nails while her thoughts meandered. She’d been thinking quite a bit about Nagato as of late, and subsequently Yahiko. She didn’t cry as much anymore. She bawled her eyes out after she laid them to rest in Amegakure. For the first few nights in the apartment, she cried herself to sleep; the tears a mix of realization and grief. The pain of her loss had been reduced to a dull ache any time she thought of Nagato or Yahiko. She put on a brave face whenever she trained Naruto, if only to keep up appearances. Though, truth be told, he inspired her to keep working with him to honor Nagato’s wishes.</p>
<p>The blond young man who recently became her protégé was another matter entirely. She knew he was incredibly strong and resilient, and she held a great deal of respect for him after he changed Nagato’s heart. His promise to see Ame become a peaceful nation once more was equally admirable. Though, she hadn’t expected him to be as childish as he was, for lack of a better term. She knew he was still young, and at times his astounding maturity as a shinobi showed itself, but for the most part he was still very much a seventeen-year-old boy.</p>
<p>Still, he had grown on her since their first encounter, and she sometimes found herself wondering how he was handling his newest burden. Konan wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she did care about Naruto, especially now that he was her charge. Perhaps part of her concern for him stemmed from guilt over her actions. She shook her head, dispelling that thought. She knew that her concern for his well-being was genuine, and she only wanted him to succeed where she and her friends couldn’t.</p>
<p>Konan’s thoughts wandered back to her friends and Amegakure. In the back of her mind, she knew she would need to return to, at the very least, help the village get on its feet. Maybe she would bring Naruto along, seeing as he’d never laid eyes on the village he promised to bring peace to when he became Hokage. Of course, the people couldn’t be allowed to know that he possessed the Rinnegan, lest they break into hysterics and demand he become their new “God.” She would cross that bridge when the time came.</p>
<p>As much as she cared for Ame and its people, she felt a pull towards Konoha. It was nice not being pelted by rain constantly, and the mood of the village was much more easygoing and lighthearted, even in the wake of the attack. The prospect of becoming a Konoha shinobi was still up in the air, as her probation wasn’t over yet. That, and she would need to be cleared by everyone who had been keeping watch over her, along with the Hokage.</p>
<p>She took a sip of tea as her mind strayed towards her silver-haired peer, Kakashi of the Sharingan. There wasn’t much to say about him, beyond that Naruto and Sasuke were quite fond of him, and said fondness was reciprocated. He escorted her every morning to the training ground, ANBU in tow. Lately, there had been that purple haired ANBU as well. Konan was fairly sure that she was training Sasuke in kenjutsu. Their treks were almost always silent. The only exchange of words was when it was completely necessary to communicate something, whether it was regarding either of his students, or something that needed to be done to keep tabs on Naruto’s progress.</p>
<p>However, in all his silence, Konan distinctly remembered all the times she had seen a blush adorning Kakashi’s exposed cheek. While it wasn’t the most becoming thing of a jōnin to find his charge attractive, it did relieve her that Kakashi didn’t see her as entirely evil because of her previous affiliation. However, she could tell that despite his easygoing nature, he was constantly wary of her, and not just because he found her good-looking. He wasn’t cold by any means, nor did he ignore her. He simply let her instruct Naruto in his use of the Rinnegan, despite being his sensei.</p>
<p>For reasons she couldn’t explain, she felt like she should talk to Kakashi more than they had been. Aside from them working together to help Naruto, he could prove to be a valuable ally. Not only that, but there was also the chance that he could vouch for her, should she choose to stay in Konoha. Of course, there was also Naruto, but having the word of a jōnin like Kakashi could only help her. She also felt strangely compelled to know more about the Copy Ninja as a person, rather than just as the subject of various stories.</p>
<p>Konan finished her tea and washed the cup out before taking her seat again at the table, patiently waiting for a knock at her door. She plucked her rose from her hair, gingerly setting it on the table to stare into its petals. She let her thoughts meander for a little while before a knock at her door snapped her back to reality. Replacing her rose, she grabbed her water bottle and answered the door. She was met with the masked jōnin she was just thinking about.</p>
<p>“Ready to go?” He asked dryly. Konan simply nodded before stepping out and locking up. She could sense the ANBU that kept watch shifting their positions as they prepared to follow them; Konan ignored them as she and Kakashi set out.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The duo walked in silence for a time, both keeping their eyes forward. Kakashi didn’t carry his copy of Icha Icha Tactics with him anymore, at least not as often as before. He wanted to be as involved as he could with his students’ training. He could feel the tension in the air, and surmised that it was likely due to Konan’s appointment with Inoichi the night before. He couldn’t blame her; having your mind basically invaded was never a pleasant experience.</p>
<p>Not wanting her in a bad mood, he decided to try and break the ice. “So, how do you think Naruto is doing with his abilities so far?”</p>
<p>“Better than expected. He’s a fast learner,” Konan answered plainly.</p>
<p>Kakashi nodded. “He can be. Especially when he’s interested in what you’re trying to teach him. To tell you the truth, he even surprised me with how quickly he learned Rasenshuriken.”</p>
<p>Konan wondered why he was being so chatty this morning, but quickly deduced that he must have sensed the dark cloud hanging over her head. Normally, she would answer plainly until he left her alone, but instead decided to go along with it.</p>
<p>“Did you teach him that jutsu?” She prompted.</p>
<p>“Well, yes but no,” he began with a touch of sheepishness. Konan’s eyebrow raised ever so slightly before Kakashi continued. “I taught him the basics, so to speak—nature transformations, adding elemental chakra to the Rasengan. He was the one who turned it into the Rasenshuriken.”</p>
<p>Konan nodded. “So, he developed most of that jutsu by himself? That’s quite impressive. He’s working on adding lightning to the—what was it called again?”</p>
<p>“The Rasengan,” the masked jōnin answered without missing a beat. “And yes. But so far, he hasn’t quite turned it into a full-fledged jutsu like the Rasenshuriken. He seems to have hit a wall.”</p>
<p>“That could be an unintended consequence of his rapid success in manipulating lightning chakra.”</p>
<p>It was Kakashi’s turn to raise a brow. “His quick success leading to less time to think about what the jutsu should be?”</p>
<p>“It’s a possibility. Naruto certainly seems the type of person to charge into things head first,” she remarked.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave a hum in agreement. They walked in silence for a bit longer before Kakashi cleared his throat awkwardly. “So, Konan, do you mind if I ask you something?”</p>
<p>Konan’s eyebrow raised once again as she hummed in response, prompting Kakashi to continue.</p>
<p>“Well, you’ve been in Konoha for a little less than a month. You don’t seem to be planning anything aside from helping Naruto. Are you planning on going home once you’ve done what you can with him?”</p>
<p>He was met with silence for a moment before a small sigh escaped the woman walking beside him. “Why do you ask?”</p>
<p>“Curiosity,” he replied coolly, masking his genuine interest in what she planned for the future.</p>
<p>Konan chose her next words carefully, not wanting to reveal too much too soon. She decided to take a small risk and be just a little open with the man she had been spending a majority of her time with. “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure.”</p>
<p>Kakashi decided to delve a little deeper. “If you don’t mind me asking, where is home for you?”</p>
<p>“Amegakure.”</p>
<p>He hummed and nodded. “I’ve heard of it. What makes you uncertain?”</p>
<p>“Amegakure is…not what it should be. Are you familiar with Hanzō the Salamander, by any chance?”</p>
<p>“Isn’t he the one in charge there?”</p>
<p>“He <em>was.</em> He was cruel, ruthless, and never had anyone’s best interests in mind. His only concern was his own safety. Concern over the safety of the village was only by extension. No sacrifice was too great if it meant he or Ame was safer.” Konan once again chose her next words carefully. “Then…certain things happened. Nagato and I eventually came to be in a position to oversee the village.”</p>
<p>“I never took you for a revolutionary,” Kakashi quipped. Konan quietly huffed before he continued. “So, Hanzō has been dead for some time, I’m assuming. What makes you not want to go back to Ame and set things the way you think they should be?”</p>
<p>They were nearing the outskirts of the village by now, and the gate to Training Ground Three was coming into view. Konan spoke quietly. “It’s not the same. If I went back for good, I’d need to be something I’m not.”</p>
<p>Kakashi silently acknowledged her answer. He knew that he should leave it at that, going by the tone her words carried. He was no stranger to hiding experiences behind simple words, and he could tell there was more than she was telling him. Kakashi wanted to know more, but he felt it wasn’t his place to pry, and he still wanted to be entirely certain that Konan wouldn’t turn on them. For that, he needed to trust Inoichi’s evaluations and the judgment of the Hokage. The two instructors entered the training ground and found Yūgao waiting for Sasuke to arrive. Kakashi and Konan waited patiently for Naruto; not a word was spoken until the blond in question arrived later.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day’s training was rigorous. Naruto and Konan spent most of their time sparring, while Sasuke and Yūgao had done the same. They refined specific skills occasionally, but the instructors decided that today was the day to apply those skills. Naruto was still reluctant to use Shuradō but had done so at Konan’s behest. The most he used were the knuckle scythes, as Naruto named them, but there was talk of at some point trying to use the tail-like blade that Nagato used in the past. Yūgao finally conceded and let Sasuke use his Sharingan for their second spar. He was much faster by now, even keeping up with the purple-haired woman, and managed to even score some hits that would have been near-lethal. Kakashi bounced between his two students’ spars, proudly observing just how strong they’d both become. He still wanted to spar with Naruto, for old times’ sake, but Naruto still felt a bit uneasy. At that point, Kakashi wasn’t sure if Naruto was uneasy for the sake of being beaten or of beating his sensei. Either way, he would keep asking until he relented and agreed.</p>
<p>The instructors had gone for the day, leaving the two chūnin to their own supplemental training. They sat at the bank of the brook that ran through the training ground, resting for a little while. Once he felt rejuvenated enough, Naruto sprung to his feet, whipping out a blank tag and a brush.</p>
<p>Sasuke turned to him as he took another swig from his water bottle. “Are you gonna try what I think you’re gonna try?”</p>
<p>Naruto spoke as slowly as his brush moved across the paper. “That depends on what you think I’m gonna try.”</p>
<p>“My guess would be that one jutsu you were working on before you were reverse summoned,” Sasuke said as he rose to his feet. He made his way over to Naruto and peeked over his shoulder just as he finished his last brushstroke.</p>
<p>Sasuke tilted his head slightly. “What is that, exactly? Some kind of seal?”</p>
<p>“Yup! It’s supposed to be the simplified version; the Fourth Hokage came up with it,” Naruto said, swelling with pride.</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed, a small smile tugging at his mouth. “It doesn’t look like any seal I’ve ever seen. What’s this jutsu called again?”</p>
<p>“The Hiraishin. The Second Hokage invented it, the Fourth was the one who was famous for using it though,” Naruto answered without missing a beat. He took the tag and placed it in front of a tree before heading back towards the stream.</p>
<p>“How does it work exactly?” Sasuke prompted.</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his whisker-marked cheek, jostling his sunglasses a bit. “Er, well, from what the scroll said you just kinda…channel chakra into the seal and you move there instantly. Something like that.”</p>
<p>“Isn’t that the same thing as the Shunshin?”</p>
<p>“To be honest, I don’t really know. The scrolls I read said this was a ‘space-time’ jutsu, whatever the hell that means,” the blond explained, forming air quotes and grumbling the last bit.</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed as Naruto took a deep breath. He focused his chakra and held his right hand up in the Seal of Confrontation. Sasuke instinctively activated his Sharingan, watching Naruto closely. Not a second later, a small pop was heard in the distance. Sasuke and Naruto snapped their heads towards the tree, seeing a pitiful puff of smoke emerge from the seal that Naruto had laid at the base of the tree.</p>
<p>Naruto stared at the tree, his jaw slack. “You’ve gotta be <em>fucking</em> kidding me,” he growled before dramatically falling spread-eagled onto his back. Sasuke appeared above him, a slight sympathetic expression painting his normally stoic features.</p>
<p>“Do you want my advice?”</p>
<p>“Not really,” Naruto deadpanned.</p>
<p>“Too bad. You’re getting it. That jutsu works with seals, right?” Sasuke inquired.</p>
<p>Naruto grunted in response, which made Sasuke roll his eyes. “I’ll take that as a yes. Have you ever even done anything with fūinjutsu before?”</p>
<p>The blond bolted upright; his brow furrowed. “The fuck does that have to do with it?”</p>
<p>Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. “The jutsu uses a <em>seal</em>, right?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded slowly, wearing a perplexed and annoyed look.</p>
<p>“Then wouldn’t you need at least a <em>small</em> base of knowledge of <em>fūinjutsu</em> to use a jutsu that uses <em>seals?</em>” Sasuke made sure to emphasize the relationship between seals and fūinjutsu, albeit condescendingly, as an insurance policy against Naruto’s thick-headedness.</p>
<p>Naruto’s furrow deepened as he processed what Sasuke said. His expression shifted from confusion, to frustration, to astonishment, and finally to sheepishness as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh. Yeah. Uh, that makes sense, doesn’t it?” He let out an embarrassed chuckle, which was answered by the crack of Sasuke slapping his hand against his forehead.</p>
<p>Sasuke let out an exasperated groan as he dragged his hand down his face. He took a deep breath before he spoke. “Do you know the basics of fūinjutsu?”</p>
<p>Naruto moved his hand in a “so-so” gesture. “I remember Iruka-sensei talking about it once. Pervy Sage mentioned it a lot, cause of the Nine-Tails and stuff, but he never really taught me anything specific. Only thing he mentioned was that you had to be careful with how you wrote them and how you put chakra into them.”</p>
<p>The Uchiha blinked at how unaware the blond shinobi was of what he’d been taught. He shook his head to snap himself out of his stupor. “Naruto. Pervy Sa—Master Jiraiya basically explained the fundamentals of fūinjutsu to you with that.” Naruto cocked his head before Sasuke continued. “I’m not savvy when it comes to seals and stuff, but I do remember the basics that we went over in the academy. Careful brushstrokes and chakra channeling are key to a successful seal,” he explained.</p>
<p>“Huh. I guess you’re right. Maybe Pervy Sage taught me more than I realized,” Naruto mused aloud.</p>
<p>Sasuke huffed, crossing his arms. A wry smirk crawled across his face. “Hey, wanna see something cool?”</p>
<p>Naruto shot to his feet. “What sorta something?”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s smirk widened into a grin. He turned to face the stream and the clearing ahead of them. He quickly wove through hand seals that Naruto recognized, but ended on Horse. Sasuke inhaled deeply. On the exhale, a stream of fire shot out of his mouth, traveling a good ten yards before expanding into a roaring wall of flame that was the size of a house. Naruto watched in awe, his eyes the size of ramen bowls while his sunglasses glowed a vibrant orange. Sasuke held the inferno for a good seven seconds before it dissipated. He turned to his blond friend with a tired but triumphant grin on his face.</p>
<p>Naruto’s breath hitched before he broke into excited laughter. “Holy <em>shit </em>that was cool! What was that?!”</p>
<p>Sasuke took a swig of water. “One of the fire jutsu I found in the Uchiha archives. Believe it or not, that’s not even the full size of it. It’s supposed to be big enough to be able to swallow a small army.”</p>
<p>“You’re fucking with me.”</p>
<p>Sasuke broke into a full-on smile.</p>
<p>“That’s fucking crazy, Sasuke. But that’s also one of the coolest things I’ve ever heard. You win this one,” Naruto conceded with an ear-to-ear smile.</p>
<p>A thought popped into Sasuke’s head. “Oh yeah, do you wanna show me the lightning Rasengan?”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked an eyebrow, though his tone was hopeful. “You think you can help me with it?”</p>
<p>“I can try. Show me what you got.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a firm nod before creating a shadow clone to help him form the initial Rasengan. Once the spinning orb was formed, Naruto added lightning chakra to it, transforming it into a swirling, chirping ball of electricity. Sasuke activated his Sharingan as the clone dispelled in a plume of smoke. Not a second later, Naruto charged a tree. “Rasengan!”</p>
<p>Sasuke watched as the lightning Rasengan tore into the tree. Electricity arced to the other tree trunks, leaving scorched spots on the bark where the piercing blue fingers touched. Sasuke’s eyes returned to normal as he walked over to Naruto. The duo studied the jagged, spiral-shaped scar in the tree. The edges of it had been slightly charred, much like the spots on the other tree.</p>
<p>Naruto found his voice first. “Any ideas?”</p>
<p>Sasuke brought a hand to his chin. “Well, what do you want to do with it?”</p>
<p>“I dunno, <em>something.</em>”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed. “Well, you could either continue with the whole ‘slam it into your target’ thing, or you could throw it like your Rasenshuriken.”</p>
<p>A lightbulb went off in Naruto’s head. “That’s not a bad idea. Maybe I could do something like I did during my fight with Pain where I made the Rasenshuriken bigger. Do you think it’d be possible to make it explode?”</p>
<p>The Uchiha heir tapped a finger against his bottom lip. “Maybe. You’d probably need to approach it like the Rasenshuriken. Especially if you want to make it explode or expand. Do you want to try it?”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek again. “Well. I could. I dunno how well it’d work without sage chakra, but I guess I can try.”</p>
<p>The blond shinobi created another shadow clone and formed the Rasengan once more, adding lightning chakra and dispelling the clone once the shape stabilized. He turned to a different tree trunk, letting out a yell as he hurled the ball of lightning. Sasuke stared wide-eyed as the swirling ball of chaos sailed through the air and impacted the tree, causing a blast of lightning that arced to the other trees. He slowly turned to his blond teammate.</p>
<p>“I’d call that a success.”</p>
<p>Naruto blew a raspberry. “I guess. It didn’t explode though.”</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged. “It did. Once it hit the tree it exploded into other lightning bolts. Didn’t you see?”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched at the top of his head. “Well, yeah. But I was trying to make it explode in mid-air like I did with the Rasenshuriken.”</p>
<p>“I mean, having it explode on impact works, too,” Sasuke placated. Naruto simply grunted.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna try again,” the blond thought aloud, creating another shadow clone. He formed another lightning Rasengan and dispelled the clone. With a yell, he threw the ball of chakra at another unsuspecting tree. Just before the lightning ball hit, it exploded into a mass of lightning bolts, arcing towards the trees and the ground. This time, the grass also bore its own scorch marks. Sasuke swore he saw small flames, but the wind thankfully snuffed them out before they could grow.</p>
<p>The Uchiha once again turned to his blond friend, who wore his signature grin. “Was that what you were planning?” Sasuke prompted.</p>
<p>Naruto nodded furiously. Sasuke decided to press on. “Were the lightning bolts intentional, too?”</p>
<p>The blond cocked his head. “Lightning bolts?”</p>
<p>“You didn’t see the lightning bolts scorch the ground?”</p>
<p>Naruto shook his head meekly.</p>
<p>An exasperated sigh escaped the Uchiha’s lips. “Cripes, Naruto, try not to be so oblivious.”</p>
<p>“Oh, stuff it, Uchiha. I was too focused on making sure it exploded before hitting the tree, that’s all,” the blond retorted in annoyance.</p>
<p>Sasuke harrumphed. “Well, there were lightning bolts. Some hit the trees but a good number of them hit the ground. If I were you, I would figure out a way to try and control them, so they <em>all </em>hit their targets.”</p>
<p>Naruto hummed, considering his advice. “I guess that makes sense.”</p>
<p>“You got another one in you?”</p>
<p>“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Naruto quipped with a mischievous smirk. Without missing a beat, he created a shadow clone, formed another lightning Rasengan, and hurled it at another tree. This time, when it exploded in mid-air, he focused on channeling the lightning into the surrounding tree trunks. Instead of just scorch marks, the electrical fingers dug into the trunks and clawed out splinters of wood and bark. The air was thick with the smell of ozone and charred wood by now.</p>
<p>A smile tugged on Sasuke’s mouth. “I think that’s a good start. You gonna name it?”</p>
<p>“Duh. I just don’t know what to name it yet,” Naruto replied.</p>
<p>Sasuke gave a small chuckle. “Well, think about it. I’m sure Kakashi-sensei will want to see what you’ve come up with. Come on, let’s go see if we can’t find some stuff on fūinjutsu at the library before we head home.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, his face stretched into his signature grin. “Next I just gotta learn Hiraishin and then make a <em>fire Rasengan!” </em>He almost cackled when he mentioned the fire Rasengan. Sasuke merely let out a small sigh as they exited the training ground.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Konan was being escorted to T&amp;I. Again. Her stoic expression betrayed how furious she was. She had just had her evaluation yesterday, and that damnable Yamanaka had cleared her. Why was she being taken back? Did they finally tire of her and decide to lock her up? Did they find something not even <em>she</em> knew about?</p>
<p>Questions and scenarios roiled in her mind as she was brought in. Instead of the examination room, she was brought into an interrogation room. At the opposite end of the metal table sat the Hokage, flanked by Kakashi and Captain Yamato. Tsunade gestured towards the chair in front of the azure haired woman. Konan cautiously took her seat, quietly eyeing the trio in front of her.</p>
<p>Tsunade cleared her throat. Konan swallowed hard as Kakashi and Yamato both produced pens and notepads. The Hokage spoke with quiet authority. “I believe the time has come for you to hold up your end of the bargain.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hang onto that cliff! I think this is a decent mix of fluff and sort-of-action. I wanted to give Konan some more time in the spotlight away from just the usual training interactions with Naruto. Speaking of! Woo! A new elemental Rasengan! Even though he can't quite get the Hiraishin down, a new Rasengan is cool, don't you think? I thought it would be neat for Sasuke to learn more fire jutsu, too. Especially since Madara is one of the few who use something besides Fireball and all that jazz. I'll let you figure out which jutsu Sasuke demonstrated. Hint: it's not Fireball. Thanks so much for reading! Happy New Year once again! Chapter 16 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Family and Seals</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto pays Tsunade a visit to ask some burning questions. Sakura confides in her master that she wants to become stronger.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly present: chapter 16! This one was fun to write, for sure.</p><p>Nope, don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto sat at a table in the Konoha library, his nose buried in a book on fūinjutsu. He and Sasuke checked out books on fūinjutsu basics yesterday, but Naruto had read each cover-to-cover already. The blond decided to return to the library, while Sasuke stayed at the training ground to hone some of his elemental jutsu. Though Naruto usually loathed studying, he wanted to get to a point where he could successfully perform the Hiraishin.</p><p>Fūinjutsu was complicated, more complicated than Naruto expected. Most of the material that he found was too advanced for him. Seals ranged from fairly simple to incredibly complex, and Naruto could barely even begin to wrap his head around the complex seals. He wondered how people like Jiraiya and his father ever managed to be as proficient as they were with all the intricacies involved; just reading the theory behind complex seals made his head hurt.</p><p>Naruto plopped himself down at the table with another book on fūinjutsu theory. Thumbing through the pages, he skimmed for information on how to properly channel chakra into simplified seals. He’d seen the sealing formula that the Second Hokage developed and marveled at just how his father was able to simplify something so complex down to four characters. The Yellow Flash must have been a genius to have been able to achieve such a thing.</p><p>A sigh escaped his lips as he continued skimming, a soft hum of activity filling his ears. As he skimmed, he found something that turned his blood to ice. There, in a book on fūinjutsu, was the name “Uzumaki.” Naruto’s breath hitched. He remembered Tsunade mentioning an Uzumaki clan that was connected to Lady Mito, and subsequently his mother. His mind ran at a mile a minute as he tried to connect the dots. He shook his head and decided that it was time for him to pay a visit to his grandmother figure. He shelved the book and set off.</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto didn’t even wait to be ushered in. The blond burst through the doors, staying true to his title of “Number One Unpredictable, Noisy Ninja.”</p><p>“Granny! I need to ask you someth—” He froze when he saw Kakashi standing in front of the Hokage, whose eye was twitching while a vein on her forehead bulged.</p><p>“This had better be good, <em>brat,</em>” Tsunade growled through clenched teeth. Kakashi simply smiled awkwardly beneath his mask.</p><p>Naruto let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as his posture shrank. “Sorry, Granny, Sensei. Did I interrupt something?”</p><p>“Oh no! Kakashi was just giving me his report for the day! Nothing at all!”</p><p>Naruto winced at how thick her voice was with sarcasm. “S-sorry. I, uh, I can wait.”</p><p>Kakashi decided to speak up. “Actually, Naruto, I was just about finished, anyhow.”</p><p>Tsunade huffed as Kakashi started to leave. “Now what did you need, brat?”</p><p>Naruto took a deep breath. “I…wanted to ask you about my mom.”</p><p>Kakashi froze mid-stride, Tsunade stared at the younger blond. The room fell silent, enough to rival even the most reverent temple or cemetery. Tsunade’s eyes softened as she let out a sigh.</p><p>“Kakashi, I think you’d better stay for this.”</p><p>The silver haired jōnin turned around without a word, nodding stiffly as he joined Naruto. The younger blond turned to his sensei, who only offered a sympathetic smile, which only served to confuse Naruto further.</p><p>He shook his head before he found his voice. “Granny, I found something else. When I was at the library looking at books about fūinjutsu, I saw the name ‘Uzumaki’ again.”</p><p>Tsunade cocked an eyebrow. “And what would you like to know?”</p><p>“Well, why was it in there? Does it have anything to do with my mom?”</p><p>“Ah, now that’s something they don’t teach in the academy these days,” Tsunade began, sounding more grandmotherly than she intended. “The Uzumaki clan were sealing masters. So much so that people feared them for their sealing prowess.”</p><p>Naruto’s eyes widened beneath his sunglasses as she continued. “As a matter of fact, my grandmother was the first jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, believe it or not.”</p><p>Naruto’s jaw hit the floor. “She was?! I wasn’t the only jinchūriki of the Fox?!”</p><p>Tsunade shook her head. “Nope. And, if I recall correctly, there was one other before you.”</p><p>The younger blond was fidgeting by now, anxious to know more. “Who? Who was the jinchūriki before me?”</p><p>The Hokage shot a glance at Kakashi before she spoke quietly. “Your mother.”</p><p>Naruto froze as his jaw set. “My…my mom? She was a jinchūriki?”</p><p>Tsunade nodded quietly, letting him process the information.</p><p>“Did…did you know my mom, Granny?” He asked, his voice much smaller than before.</p><p>She let out a sigh and offered him an apologetic expression. “Not personally. I’m sorry.” Naruto’s posture deflated before she spoke up again. “But, your sensei did.”</p><p>The jinchūriki’s head snapped to his sensei, whose half-lidded gaze held a small amount of empathy. “She’s right, I did know your mother. Miss Kushina came around quite often, actually.”</p><p>Naruto’s lip quivered despite his small smile. He blinked back tears behind his sunglasses, his voice equally small. “What was she like, sensei?”</p><p>Kakashi gave his own masked smile before tilting his head toward the door. “Let’s talk somewhere else. I’m sure Lady Tsunade is quite busy.”</p><p>Naruto nodded fiercely before turning to his grandmother figure. “Thanks, Granny. See you soon.”</p><p>Tsunade merely smiled and shooed them out of her office. As relieved as she was to have some time to get back to her paperwork, she was also glad that Naruto came around to ask her these things. With Jiraiya gone, she felt compelled to be there for him and help him through whatever she could. After all, he was the closest thing to family she had left.</p>
<hr/><p>Naruto walked with Kakashi quietly for a while. Once the park came into view, Naruto turned to his sensei. “Actually, sensei, is it okay if we go somewhere else?”</p><p>“Of course. Where did you have in mind?”</p><p>Naruto stepped ahead of Kakashi, gesturing to him. “Follow me.”</p><p>The duo shot off towards the Great Stone Faces, traversing some of the lesser known paths up the rocks. They came to the top of the Fourth Hokage’s head. Naruto had beaten Kakashi there and sat cross-legged, staring out over the village. The sun was just beginning to set, painting the sky with pinks, purples, and oranges against the green of the surrounding forest. The tails of his headband whipped while his sage cloak billowed slightly with the breeze. Kakashi took a seat next to his student, whose gaze didn’t waver.</p><p>The jōnin broke the silence first. “Can I ask why you picked here?”</p><p>“This is where I used to come to think,” Naruto replied softly. Kakashi hummed in response. He remembered how Naruto used to run all the way up here as a child. When even Sasuke couldn’t console him, he found solace on the stone head of his father.</p><p>A moment passed before Naruto spoke again. “Sensei, what was my mom like?”</p><p>Kakashi stared out at the Konoha skyline, his tone sincere as he spoke. “She was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.” He glanced to see a small smile forming on Naruto’s lips before he continued. “There were times she would bring us lunch. She was quite a good cook. Even simple things like onigiri were delicious. I think she saw my team as her own little family.”</p><p>Naruto’s smile dropped slightly. He’d always wondered what his mother was like; whether she was as kind and caring as he hoped, and whether her hugs were as warm as he imagined. He knew mothers loved their children, but something nagged at him that made him wonder if <em>his</em> mother really loved him. When he was small, he sometimes found himself wondering if his mother wanted him—if either of his parents wanted him. Maybe they didn’t want him, didn’t love him. Maybe that was why they went away. Maybe that was why he had no parents.</p><p>Despite the passing of time and the understanding that came with growing up, Naruto would be lying to himself if he said that thought never crept into his mind now and again. Being an orphan was already a knife in his heart, as much as he tried to ignore it, and the thought of his parents not wanting him only twisted that knife.</p><p>Naruto stifled a sniffle. “Did she…want me?” His voice was so small, innocent, and childlike it nearly broke Kakashi’s heart.</p><p>“Of course she did,” he said gently. “Minato-sensei told me how happy they both were. I don’t think I’d ever seen your mother as happy as she was when she found out. Or your father, for that matter.”</p><p>Naruto audibly choked back a sob, ripping his sunglasses off his face and furiously wiping at his eyes. He took a quivering breath to steady himself as Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. The two sat quietly for a few moments longer.</p><p>The blond took deep, quiet breaths to keep himself under control. He cried a lot more when he was younger, at least when he was away from prying eyes. That was part of his creed as a child: don’t show any weakness. He cried when he fought Sasuke, when he learned of Jiraiya’s death, and when he met his father in his mindscape. His younger self would be berating him for being such a mess, but he knew now that keeping such strong emotions inside was never good for you.</p><p>A cool breeze blew through as a thought popped into Naruto’s head. “Say, sensei, you mentioned your team. You said my dad was your sensei, right?”</p><p>“That’s right.”</p><p>“Well, what about your team? Who were they?”</p><p>Kakashi stiffened ever so slightly at the question. He’d skirted this subject for years, and his ‘cute little genin’ were none the wiser. The cat was out of the bag, but he decided that it was something that he should save for all three of them.</p><p>“That’s something I think I’d rather talk to you about when Sakura and Sasuke are here,” he said calmly.</p><p>Naruto let out a frustrated groan.</p><p>“Naruto, there’s something I want you to know.”</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>Kakashi turned to him, his visible eye and his tone full of sincerity. “Your parents loved you. They loved you enough to sacrifice themselves to save you. I know your burden has been a heavy one to bear for all these years, and I’m terribly sorry for that. But, don’t ever forget that your mother and father loved you more than anything.”</p><p>A single tear escaped one of Naruto’s eyes, rolling down his whisker-marked cheek. He gave a small nod, his voice thick and on the verge of breaking. “I won’t. Not now, not ever. Thank you, Kakashi-sensei.”</p><p>The jōnin gave a smile and ruffled Naruto’s hair. The blond stood up, as did Kakashi.</p><p>“I think I’d better head home. Thanks for talking with me, sensei.”</p><p>“You’re most welcome, Naruto. Go get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Naruto leapt off the stone head, heading back to his apartment.</p>
<hr/><p>Tsunade had just put the finishing touches on a budget request when she heard yet another knock at her office door. She let out a groan as she set her pen down. “Enter,” she all but growled.</p><p>The door cracked open slightly, allowing a red-clad, pink haired kunoichi to slip through. The Hokage raised an eyebrow; she wasn’t expecting her today. “Sakura? What do you need?”</p><p>The younger kunoichi offered an apologetic smile and a deep bow. “I’m so sorry to interrupt you, Lady Tsunade, but I wanted to ask if you had time to teach me.”</p><p>As smart and dedicated as she was, Sakura could be a bit much at times when it came to pestering Tsunade about her training. She had been doing it more and more lately, and the Hokage suspected it was for a specific reason, one she intended to find out. She huffed through her nose as Sakura straightened. “Sakura, why are you so concerned about your training lately?”</p><p>The pink haired girl opened her mouth to answer, but swallowed her words when Tsunade pointed a ruby red fingernail at her. “The truth, Miss Haruno,” she ordered.</p><p>Sakura swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling as though someone had stuffed it with gauze. “I…just want to be stronger for my friends.”</p><p>Tsunade rose from her chair and approached her apprentice. “You want to catch up to them, don’t you?”</p><p>The younger kunoichi hesitated before meekly nodding. “I want to be able to protect them, too. I’ve learned so much from you and Haku, and I’m so, so grateful that both of you have taught me…”</p><p>The Hokage cocked an eyebrow. “But?”</p><p>Sakura chewed her bottom lip as she fidgeted with the hem of her qipao-style top. “I still don’t feel strong enough.”</p><p>It was Tsunade’s turn to sigh. She knew Sakura was selling herself short, and it didn’t help that Naruto had just acquired what was quite literally the most powerful dōjutsu known. Her voice lowered to a soothing, motherly tone. “Sakura, look at me.” Emerald met honey as the older woman continued, placing a hand on her student’s shoulder. “You’re a fine medic. I’d even go so far as to say you’re one of the best medics I’ve ever seen. Your chakra control is near perfect, and your chakra-enhanced strength almost rivals my own. On top of that, you’ve got your Kekkei Genkai that Haku helped you hone. Truth be told, I think you could really give Naruto and Sasuke both a run for their money in a one-on-one spar,” she said with a smirk.</p><p>Sakura couldn’t help but smile. “Do you really mean that, Lady Tsunade?”</p><p>“Of course I do. I wouldn’t tell you if I didn’t.” She released Sakura’s shoulder, her voice returning to its normal volume, though there was a gentleness about it. “Now, what did you want me to train you on today? I have a pretty good idea, but I want you to say it.”</p><p>Sakura nodded. “I’d…like to try forming the Byakugō no In. I’ve read everything you told me to read, including the stuff on fūinjutsu. I think I’m ready to try it.”</p><p>“Very well. Let’s get started. You’re aware of how to channel chakra into a basic seal, yes?” The pink haired kunoichi nodded before Tsunade continued. “The basic idea is almost the same. The key is molding chakra without channeling it into your hands or other limbs. Instead, you focus it into a single point in the middle of your forehead.”</p><p>Sakura nodded as the older kunoichi continued. “The process is as follows: mold as much chakra as you can without exhausting yourself. Make sure it’s as potent as you can make it, and focus on containing it right…here.” The Hokage tapped the middle of her student’s forehead.</p><p>After one more firm nod, Sakura formed the Ram seal and closed her eyes. Her chakra reserves had grown since she was a genin thanks to the training that her two teachers had put her through, but they were still a far cry from Naruto’s or Sasuke’s. She had to remind herself that Naruto was a jinchūriki, and that it was nigh on impossible for anyone that wasn’t a jinchūriki to have reserves that large. She focused on molding as much chakra as she could, not wanting to think about her limitations.</p><p>Feeling herself reaching a breaking point, she channeled it into her forehead, shifting her hands into the Bird seal. She felt a tingling sensation that began in a pinpoint that grew as she felt the chakra coursing through her body into the single point on her forehead. Once she had channeled all that she could, she dropped the hand seal and opened her eyes.</p><p>She was greeted by her master, who wore a proud smile. “Congratulations, Sakura. You’ve successfully created the Byakugō no In. With this, you’ll be able to perform the Sōzō Saisei.”</p><p>Sakura’s face stretched into a smile as she excitedly brought her hand up to feel her forehead. When she felt nothing, her expression dropped slightly.</p><p>“You won’t be able to feel it, it’s a seal. You can see it, though,” the Hokage explained.</p><p>“Oh, I guess that’s true, isn’t it?” The younger kunoichi admitted sheepishly. She weaved through hand seals and created a small ice mirror in front of her. Her eyes widened at the diamond-shaped, muted purple seal that now adorned her forehead. She inwardly breathed a sigh of relief that the seal did, in fact, look fashionable. She dissolved the ice mirror before deeply bowing. “Thank you, Lady Tsunade.”</p><p>Tsunade couldn’t help but smile. “You’re very welcome, Sakura.”</p><p>The younger kunoichi turned to take her leave, a smile adorning her face.</p><p>“One more thing,” Tsunade said as she went to her desk, rummaging around for something.</p><p>Sakura stopped and turned, tilting her head slightly as she watched with curiosity.</p><p>“Ah! Here it is,” she called from behind her desk. She made her way to her student, holding what appeared to be a folded cream-colored tablecloth. Sakura’s confusion grew as Tsunade presented it to her. She took it carefully, examining it while trying to mask said confusion.</p><p>“Er, thank you, Lady Tsunade. But, uh…what is it, exactly?”</p><p>“Unfold it and find out!” The Hokage responded jovially.</p><p>Sakura pursed her lips as she let the cloth hang from her fingertips. What she thought might have been a tablecloth turned out to be a haori. One that was styled exactly like Tsunade’s, save for the colors. This haori was cream-colored with deep red trim. Turning it around, there was a red circle with the kanji for “healing” emblazoned in black.</p><p>She turned to her master; emerald eyes impossibly wide as she clutched the haori. “This…for me?”</p><p>Tsunade simply nodded, beaming with pride. “Try it on.”</p><p>Sakura nodded, slipping the haori on and admiring the sleeves. She tried to get a better view of herself, but realized she needed a mirror. A few hand seals later and another ice mirror appeared. She tried to contain her excitement; she wore a face-splitting smile, her eyes twinkling like their namesake gems.</p><p>Tsunade appeared behind her. “It suits you,” she said nonchalantly. Internally, she marveled at how Sakura had successfully created the seal on her first try. It was no easy feat, and deep down she knew that her student was more than capable, but seeing it with her own eyes still filled her with pride.</p><p>Sakura dissolved the ice mirror, her smile holding fast as she bowed deeply again. “Thank you, Lady Tsunade! Thank you thank you thank you!”</p><p>The Hokage huffed good-naturedly, wearing her own smile. “It’s nothing, Sakura. One thing; be sure to channel chakra into that seal every so often. In order for the Sōzō Saisei to be as effective as it should be, you need to add chakra to the seal now and again. Now head on home and get some rest.”</p><p>Sakura gave a firm nod. “Yes ma’am!” With that, Sakura bolted out of the Hokage tower and ran straight home.</p>
<hr/><p>Ino had just finished her dinner when she heard her apartment door unlocking. Sakura was arriving later than she expected. Not that it mattered too much, since there were leftovers and she had also come home a bit later, on account of T&amp;I business. She turned towards the commotion, feigning annoyance.</p><p>“There you are, Forehead! What took you so lo—” Ino’s next words died with a gasp as she beheld her best friend and her ensemble.</p><p>Sakura twirled around, making sure the platinum blonde could see the haori in its entirety. A light blush adorned her cheeks. “What do you think?”</p><p>Ino’s baby blue eyes twinkled as she scurried over to her roommate. “<em>Where</em> in the world did you get this?!” She took a bit of the haori between her fingers, feeling the silken texture of the fabric and admiring the color. “It looks so good on you!”</p><p>“Lady Tsunade gave it to me.”</p><p>“Really? What for? Just because?”</p><p>Sakura’s smile held a touch of mirth as she pointed to the seal that now adorned her forehead. “For learning <em>this.</em>”</p><p>Ino’s eyes widened as her head tilted. She lifted a hand and brushed her fingers against the muted purple diamond. “What is <em>this?</em> Doesn’t Lady Tsunade have the same thing?” She stared with childlike wonder.</p><p>The pink haired kunoichi beamed with pride. “It’s a seal; the Byakugō no In, actually.”</p><p>“<em>That’s</em> a seal? And what the heck is the Byakugō no In? Some kind of jutsu?”</p><p>Ino sat down as Sakura set her haori on the back of a chair and began heating up some of the leftovers. “Well, yes and no. The seal holds a ton of chakra that I can release in a pinch, which will heal injuries almost as fast as Naruto does. The seal itself is the Byakugō no In, the healing jutsu that releases all that chakra is Sōzō Saisei.”</p><p>Chin resting in her hands, Ino cooed at her friend as she sat down to eat. “Well, look at you! You’re really turning into one heck of a kunoichi, Forehead.”</p><p>Sakura offered her gratitude for the meal before digging in. “That’s not all. This is supposed to help me not use as much chakra. Which is good, since, you know, I don’t have as much chakra as Naruto and Sasuke. Well, I have more than I did before, but—” She said in between bites of stew. She let out an exasperated groan, trying to keep herself from giggling. “You get what I mean,” she said resignedly.</p><p>A small laugh escaped Ino. “Yeah, yeah, I get ya, Forehead. That seriously is really cool, though. All I’ve been doing is working with my dad.”</p><p>“Are you liking it?”</p><p>The platinum blonde shrugged. “It’s not too bad. He’s just tough on me because I’m his daughter and stuff. Honestly, I miss hanging out with you and Haku during our breaks.”</p><p>“We miss you, too, Pig. Our little trio needs to get together again sometime. With or without our boys,” Sakura offered.</p><p>Ino snorted. “It’d take divine intervention to get Shikamaru to agree to anything without him bitching and moaning about it. And you know Chōji, as great of a shinobi as he can be, tends to think with his stomach.”</p><p>A laugh escaped the pink haired girl. “You know, Naruto is pretty similar to Chōji in that way. He can put away food like nobody’s business.”</p><p>“Oh, trust me, I know. I was there when we went to Ichiraku’s for dinner. I still can’t believe that guy went through eight bowls. <em>Eight bowls!</em> That’s insane!”</p><p>Sakura nearly doubled over in laughter at Ino’s incredulity. “Ino, you have <em>no idea.</em> Naruto used to eat just as much back when we were genin. Sasuke and I even wondered if he had multiple stomachs. Heck, even Kakashi-sensei thought it was nuts!”</p><p>Ino gaped. She knew Naruto loved ramen, but never figured he’d been obsessed with the stuff since they were genin. “Jeez, Forehead. Sometimes I wonder how you put up with him and his undying love of ramen. Not to mention his antics and thick-headedness.”</p><p>“Same way you deal with your boys. They’re my teammates and my friends, so it’s less putting up with them and more just kinda rolling with it. Naruto’s less of a blockhead these days. It’s actually pretty impressive how much he’s grown and matured.” <em>‘And in more ways than one,’</em> she mentally added. She’d have to be blind to ignore how he started looking more handsome as time passed. Especially after that fateful shopping trip.</p><p>A wry smirk crept across Ino’s face. “Oh? You getting some eyes for the blond boy now? Can’t say I blame you; blonds <em>are</em> more fun, after all,” she sneered, a mischievous twinkle in her baby blue eyes.</p><p>Sakura’s cheeks burned as her brow furrowed. “You and I both know that’s not what I meant, Pig,” she growled. She would never admit it out loud, but he had caught her eye since the shopping trip. “That dinner we had was just as friends; I wanted to check up on him.” The dinner she had with Naruto was really quite nice. Him cooking for her was a sweet gesture, and she was glad she got to catch up with him.</p><p>Ino let out a giggle. “Oh, re-<em>lax</em>, Forehead, I’m only teasing. You’re probably too focused on your training with Lady Tsunade to worry about boys anyway, right?”</p><p>The pink haired girl snorted. “Damn straight,” she said firmly before letting a small laugh escape her.</p><p>They sat quietly for a little while. Sakura finished her meal while Ino sipped on a cup of tea. The silence was comfortable; even though they didn’t see each other during the day as much, they enjoyed being able to eat together and relax in the evenings. Usually they talked about their days, which often included complaining about T&amp;I or the workload at the hospital. Their rivalry of the past seemed so silly now. After the Chūnin Exams, they both felt they had drifted away and decided to reconcile. They rekindled their connection to each other, fondly remembering how close they were during their days in the academy. They may not have been attached at the hip like they used to be, but their bond had grown stronger, nonetheless.</p><p>The two kunoichi were about to shut their doors for the night. They had said goodnight, but Ino had one last thing to say.</p><p>“Hey, Sakura?”</p><p>The pink-haired girl poked her head out into the hallway. “Yeah?”</p><p>A small smile adorned Ino’s doll-like face. “I’m proud of you. You’re really shaping up to be one hell of a ninja.”</p><p>Sakura smiled warmly at her friend. “Thanks, Ino.”</p><p>The two bade each other goodnight, resigning themselves to a restful sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>More fluff! I know it seems like there's a lot of that lately, but I wanted to make sure the characters get the development and interactions they need. I have to admit, tackling Naruto learning about his mom was an interesting adventure, but I think it turned out well!</p><p>Translation notes:</p><p>Byakugō no In - Strength of a Hundred Seal</p><p>Sōzō Saisei - Creation Rebirth/Mitotic Regeneration</p><p>Hiraishin - Flying Raijin/Flying Thunder God</p><p>One more thing! I've taken the plunge and created a <a href="https://discord.gg/APBnCWEZU3">Discord server!</a> Feel free to join, chat, and hang out! I'll be posting updates there as they come!</p><p>As always, thanks so much for reading! Chapter 17 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. The Clouds Gather</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Team 7 is summoned by the Hokage.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 17 has arrived! Translation notes for jutsu will be at the end of the chapter.</p>
<p>Ah, nope, don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A week had passed since Naruto and Kakashi’s conversation atop the Stone Face of the Fourth Hokage and Sakura’s successful creation of the Byakugō no In. Sakura made sure to channel chakra into the seal at least every other day, just enough that she wouldn’t feel much aside from slight fatigue. She kept herself aware of her limits and made sure to let herself recover before adding chakra again. Her collaborative jutsu with Haku improved, as well. Their coordination, between Haku’s senbon and Sakura’s punches, was a deadly dance after only a couple of practice runs. They even tried a variation of it with both of them using senbon, which turned the target into even more of a pincushion than when Haku performed it on his own.</p>
<p>Naruto’s training went from lessons with some spars to spars with some lessons. Konan decided that it was time to apply his Rinnegan abilities practically. At least, as practically as he could with spars. He’d taken some rudimentary kenjutsu lessons from Kakashi, and even gotten some pointers from Yūgao as well. Kakashi offered to lend him an old sword, which he gladly accepted. He didn’t want to use the black rods just yet.</p>
<p>Providing him feedback gave Yūgao the idea to have Sasuke and Naruto spar once Naruto’s fundamentals were established. At first, he borrowed Kakashi’s sword, but later opted to use the black rods instead. They were surprisingly robust, their durability surprising even Naruto. They broke so easily when he created them, yet stood up to even the hardest of swings from Sasuke’s ninjato.</p>
<p>Of course, Naruto was no match for Sasuke, even without his Sharingan, but he’d still put up a decent defense. At least, that’s what Yūgao and Kakashi told him. His ego went unbruised, though, since he knew kenjutsu just wasn’t his forte. He respected Sasuke’s skill with his blade, and let him have the title of swordsman of Team 7.</p>
<p>Kakashi was impressed with Naruto’s progress on incorporating lightning into the Rasengan. When the blond demonstrated the jutsu which he’d yet to name, Kakashi, stoic as ever, merely suggested that he come up with a name after expressing subdued pride at what he developed. Naruto had a name in mind, but he wanted to run it by Sasuke to see if it sounded cool enough. Sasuke resumed helping him refine his fireball jutsu, which he’d also made considerable progress with. By now, he was able to produce a projectile sphere of fire in addition to the plume, the latter of which he’d increased in size to nearly fifteen feet across.</p>
<p>Sasuke also took time to hone the fire jutsu he’d discovered, and was able to increase the size of Gōka Mekkyaku to nearly the size of the main gate. He was inspired by Naruto’s lightning Rasengan to start experimenting with lightning chakra in the hopes of developing a new jutsu of his own. He hadn’t made nearly as much progress as Naruto due to not being able to train with shadow clones, but the jutsu he had in mind required a great deal of lightning chakra and would likely take on a grand form similar in scale to Gōka Mekkyaku.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The day’s training was shorter than expected. Naruto and Sasuke only had a couple of spars against their instructors and one against each other. After that, Kakashi, Konan, and Yūgao left the two chūnin at the training field. The last time they had this much spare time was their last day off, so they decided to continue practicing their respective jutsu. Sasuke decided to keep experimenting, while Naruto opted to further refine his lightning Rasengan.</p>
<p>The two chūnin were just about to begin when they heard a familiar voice call out to them.</p>
<p>“Hey! You’re still here!”</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke snapped their heads to face the owner of the voice: their pink-haired teammate. They noticed that she was wearing a cream-colored haori in addition to her ninja gear, which turned Naruto’s whisker-marked cheeks a rosy color before he called back to her.</p>
<p>“Sakura! You’re done for the day?” He tried to downplay his excitement, but his toothy smile was a neon sign.</p>
<p>“Yup! Shizune let me and Haku go early today, so I thought I would come see you two. Did Kakashi-sensei finish early with you, also?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. All three of them left, actually,” Sasuke answered.</p>
<p>“Three? Isn’t it just Kakashi-sensei and Konan?” Sakura asked, puzzled.</p>
<p>“Oh, I guess I never got to tell you. Kakashi-sensei has been having me train with a kenjutsu specialist—she’s ANBU.”</p>
<p>“She kicked his ass,” Naruto sneered.</p>
<p>“Sorry, who was it that beat you in our kenjutsu spar?” Sasuke shot back. Naruto grumbled in response, earning a mischievous smirk from the Uchiha. He turned back to Sakura, taking note of not just her haori, but the muted purple diamond in the middle of her forehead.</p>
<p>Naruto noticed, too, and was the first to express his curiosity. “Hey, Sakura. Where’d you get the haori? And that thing on your forehead—doesn’t Granny have the same thing?”</p>
<p>Sakura couldn’t help but feel a sense of déjà vu. “The haori was a gift from Lady Tsunade. Well, it was more of a reward for learning to make this,” she explained, pointing to the seal. “This is the Byakugō no In. It’s a seal that stores chakra and lets me use powerful healing jutsu. It also eases the amount of chakra I need to perform other jutsu.”</p>
<p>Sasuke hummed while Naruto cooed, both genuinely impressed at the capabilities of the seal. Sakura blushed a bit at their reactions, suddenly feeling bashful. It felt good to be with her friends again, especially after they’d been so busy getting stronger for each-other’s sake.</p>
<p>“Well, Sasuke and I were gonna train some more, but it’s been forever since we went to Ichiraku’s together. Whaddaya say?” Naruto suggested, his signature smile plastered on his face.</p>
<p>Not even Sasuke could stop himself from breaking into his own smile as he and Sakura agreed. It had been too long since Team 7 had lunch after training.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lunch at Ichiraku Ramen was something that Team 7 took comfort in. As genin, Naruto and Sasuke welcomed Sakura into their circle of friends with lunch at Ichiraku’s, and it became a ritual after hard days of training. They reunited there after the Chūnin Exams and after Naruto and Sasuke’s training trips. They even tried treating Kakashi to lunch after his recovery as part of an elaborate scheme to try and steal a glance underneath his mask. It failed miserably, of course, but it was a fond memory for the trio.</p>
<p>Naruto, in a surprising turn of events, only ate five large bowls of miso char siu, on account of the conversation that the three were having. The ever-curious Naruto wanted to know more about the Byakugō no In, which led to him wanting to know more about the Sōzō Saisei. He usually wasn’t interested in the details of medical ninjutsu, but the idea of Sakura being able to heal about as quickly as he could with the Nine-Tails’ chakra intrigued him. Sasuke wasn’t terribly interested, either, but he appreciated the chakra control needed to successfully perform said medical jutsu. Both were impressed once again at what Sakura accomplished, despite bearing witness to her prowess as a medic in the past.</p>
<p>The trio opted to gather at Naruto and Sasuke’s apartment for old times’ sake. In the past, they would get together at either boys’ apartments if Sakura wasn’t able to have company over. Naruto prepared some tea while Sasuke combed through some more scrolls from the Uchiha archives, an enrapt Sakura watching him.</p>
<p>“What’re you looking for now, dude? More jutsu?” Naruto called as he poured each of them a cup.</p>
<p>Sasuke shrugged. “Nothing in particular, just looking for anything interesting,” he called back as Naruto approached with their tea.</p>
<p>He and Sakura thanked the blond for their tea, and just as Sasuke was about to take a sip, he stumbled upon something unusual: a storage scroll.</p>
<p>Sakura tilted her head. “A storage scroll? Where did you say these were from?”</p>
<p>“They’re from my clan’s archives. I wouldn’t have thought a storage scroll would have been stored in the archives, of all places.” Sasuke’s voice carried subdued confusion.</p>
<p>“Well don’t just stare at it, open it and see what’s inside!” Naruto blurted, earning him a scowl from Sakura.</p>
<p>Sasuke pursed his lips as he unrolled the scroll, revealing a seal with the kanji for “crest” in the center. Naruto’s brows shot up while Sakura’s mouth went slightly agape. The Uchiha hummed with curiosity as he channeled chakra into the seal. The item unsealed itself with a pop and a plume of smoke. Once it cleared, Sasuke found himself holding a navy-blue piece of fabric.</p>
<p>“Uh. Not to be rude or whatever, Sasuke, but what the heck is that thing?” Naruto questioned.</p>
<p>After making a face to admonish her blond teammate, Sakura spoke up. “It’s fabric. Maybe it’s a banner? Or something?”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s brow furrowed slightly as he took the piece of fabric and raised it up. It was a haori, navy-blue with black trim. He turned it around, finding the Uchiha crest emblazoned on the back, large enough that it very well could serve as a banner if so desired. Naruto and Sakura both cooed at the discovery.</p>
<p>“That’s actually really cool, Sasuke. I kinda wish I had something like that for the Uzumaki,” Naruto remarked. A lightbulb went off in his head. “Hey, I just realized.” Sakura and Sasuke turned to him with expectant but curious looks. “We all have like, cloaks. I have my sage cloak, and you two have your haori. Kinda cool, huh?” Naruto flashed his signature grin.</p>
<p>Sakura and Sasuke’s eyes met, both giving a small smile before shrugging and nodding. It took Sakura a moment before she realized what Naruto said.</p>
<p>“Wait, what do you mean ‘for the Uzumaki’?” Asked an incredulous Sakura.</p>
<p>The Uzumaki in question rubbed the back of his neck, a slightly sad smile gracing his normally cheerful face. “Ah, well, y’see…I, uh…” He fidgeted slightly as he tried to let the words flow. “I found out some more about my parents,” he said meekly. Sakura’s eyes immediately softened as he continued. “I found out about my mom. I know who she was now. It turns out she was an Uzumaki. They were a clan. I dunno if they were from Konoha or somewhere else, but the First Hokage’s wife was an Uzumaki, too. And…Kakashi-sensei knew my mom when he was younger.” A smile tugged at his lips while Sasuke perked up. “Turns out she used to bring him and his teammates lunch sometimes. She…apparently she was really nice…” His eyes started to look far-off as his mind wandered.</p>
<p>Sakura placed her hand on top of his, smiling warmly at him. Naruto returned the smile before snapping himself out of his melancholy. “So, yeah. Turns out there’s an Uzumaki clan! Cool, huh?”</p>
<p>“I think so. I’m really glad you were able to find out about your mom, Naruto. I know how much it means for you to know more about your parents,” Sakura said gently. She turned her attention back to Sasuke. “Try it on! I wanna see how you look!”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah! I bet you’ll look like some kind of ninja samurai or something,” Naruto piped up.</p>
<p>Sasuke rose to his feet without a word and slipped the haori on. The navy-blue went well with the grey, as expected, and wasn’t as dark as his pants. Naruto cupped his chin and nodded slowly in approval. Sakura couldn’t help but stare. Though Naruto’s description wasn’t eloquent, Sasuke did fit the bill of “ninja samurai,” especially with his ninjato.</p>
<p>“You know, this is surprisingly comfortable. It’s no wonder you wear that sage cloak, Naruto,” Sasuke observed while rolling his shoulders.</p>
<p>The blond flashed his foxy grin and gave a firm nod. “It also makes you look cool!” Sakura stifled a grimace. She knew he meant well, but surely he would need to realize that there was more sentimental and symbolic value in Sasuke’s case.</p>
<p>A loud knock at the door echoed through the apartment. Sasuke went to answer it, with Naruto in tow. The two were greeted by an ANBU wearing a bird mask.</p>
<p>“Team 7, your presence is requested by the Hokage. Report to the Hokage Tower immediately,” the man recited. With that, he flickered away. The trio blinked, a thick silence hanging over them.</p>
<p>Naruto adjusted his sunglasses as Sasuke cleared his throat awkwardly. “I guess we’d better get going.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s not good to keep Granny waiting,” Naruto mumbled, heaving a sigh through his nose.</p>
<p>Sakura rolled her eyes. “Seriously, Naruto, you gotta quit calling her that. She’s the <em>Hokage,</em> you know.”</p>
<p>“She might be the Hokage but she’s still old!” Naruto retorted, not missing a beat.</p>
<p>“Shut it, whiskers. Let’s get going,” Sasuke ordered while Sakura all but growled at Naruto.</p>
<p>Naruto let out one last annoyed groan before the trio set out, leaping over the rooftops as they made a beeline for the Hokage Tower.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Shizune was waiting for Team 7 just outside Tsunade’s office. Once they arrived, she poked her head in to see if the Hokage was ready for them. After a moment of muffled voices and shuffling papers, she opened the door and ushered the three chūnin inside.</p>
<p>The silence was palpable as they were met by Haku, Yamato, Konan, and Kakashi already there. Their footsteps as they made their way towards Tsunade’s desk echoed through the room as multiple pairs of eyes watched them. Naruto tried his best not to crumple under all the prying gazes, while even Sakura and Sasuke felt awkward at apparently being late. Sasuke and Sakura bowed, the latter of whom had to force Naruto to bow by way of grabbing his hair and shoving his head down. The Hokage was unfazed, wearing her best poker face. Normally, she would have been mildly amused at the younger blond and his antics, but today was different.</p>
<p>A moment passed before Tsunade finally spoke. “Alright, everyone. I’ve summoned you here because I have a mission for you all.” Naruto opened his mouth to express his elation, but he was preemptively silenced by Tsunade raising her hand. “Let me be upfront about this. This is an S-ranked mission. Contact with hostile ninja is nearly guaranteed, and you’ll be traveling to another hidden village,” she stated. The jaws of Team 7 set as the Hokage continued her briefing. “Team 7 will be accompanied by Haku and Captain Yamato to Kumogakure on a diplomatic mission to warn them of an impending attack by the remnants of the Akatsuki. The security of the village and their targets is paramount. Understood?”</p>
<p>“Yes ma’am,” the chūnin replied in unison.</p>
<p>The Hokage nodded before rising and stepping in front of the quartet, glancing between them. “It’s very likely that the Akatsuki will be on their way to attack the village, much like they did with Suna,” she explained before turning to the azure-haired woman, who had been a fly on the wall up until now. “Konan will brief you on the potential combatants you’ll be facing.” She gestured for Konan to step forward.</p>
<p>“There are six remaining members of the Akatsuki that are currently hunting other jinchūriki. You’ve already met Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha, so I’ll spare you their briefing.” Sasuke stiffened as Konan continued, but she noticed the way he reacted when she mentioned Itachi.</p>
<p>“Kakuzu is from Takigakure originally. He’s known for his use of a kinjutsu called Jiongu. It turns the user’s body into something of a ragdoll, and fills them with a mass of black threads that act almost like tentacles. He also has four masks that allow him to use water, wind, fire, and lightning jutsu with ease. Another part of his skillset is his vitality, which is bolstered by extracting human hearts and assimilating them. Those hearts are the source of power for his masks. His main motivation is money, and his greed and self-serving nature are proof of that.</p>
<p>“His partner, Hidan, is…a sadist, to put it mildly. He’s a devout follower of a deity called ‘Jashin,’ and his devotion has granted him a degree of immortality. His methods of killing typically involve causing his victims excruciating pain through a kind of curse.” Konan’s face darkened. “Whatever you do, do not let yourself bleed near Hidan. Once he gets even a drop of your blood, you’ll be wide open for his curse. It connects your body to his, and any damage he inflicts on himself will be inflicted onto you. Even if it’s lethal, Hidan won’t die.”</p>
<p>Naruto gaped, while his three companions merely stared incredulously at Konan before she continued. “Then we have Deidara, whom you’ve also encountered, and Zetsu. Zetsu acts as a spy, gathering intelligence alone.”</p>
<p>A thought occurred to Sasuke. “Is there anything we should know about the leader?”</p>
<p>Konan paused, choosing her next words carefully. “He shouldn’t be an issue. He’s as dead as I could make him. The Akatsuki are very likely in disarray at the moment, so they could be acting on orders from Zetsu. He was the closest to the leader, and often delivered the orders. But it’s hard to say.” She glanced between the four chūnin, whose jaws were still set.</p>
<p>Tsunade gestured for Konan to continue her briefing, which she acknowledged with a nod. “There are two targets in Kumogakure. Two jinchūriki: the Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails. They would have been captured sooner, but the former leader was…distraught. For some reason, he completely disregarded the original objective, so the other members turned to Zetsu and Nagato for suggestions. Capturing the Four-Tails took longer than expected, and if I recall correctly, the capture of the Five-Tails was unsuccessful. Nagato had grown suspicious of just how everything was going, especially with how the shadow-leader seemed to be acting irrationally. The others didn’t bat an eye, strangely enough.”</p>
<p>Tsunade nodded as she found her voice again. “We don’t know which of the Akatsuki are being sent to Kumo, so be prepared for anyone. I assume you know why we decided to send you in particular, Naruto?” She turned to the younger blond in question, who nodded.</p>
<p>“Because I’m a jinchūriki, too. One who’s beaten the Akatsuki before,” he answered.</p>
<p>“You reckon that since Naruto is a jinchūriki, he’ll be able to relate to their jinchūriki, which means they’ll take his word more seriously than someone else’s,” Sasuke added.</p>
<p>“You’re both right,” the Hokage acknowledged. She turned her honey colored gaze to Naruto. “You have a knack for getting through to people, brat. Just do what you do best.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, a small smile adorning his face. A thought popped into his head. “Is Konan staying here?”</p>
<p>Tsunade gave a single nod before turning to address everyone present. “You will set out tomorrow. The journey should take about five days. Here’s hoping you don’t have to stay there for too long.” She made sure to look everyone on the team in the eyes before continuing. “Come back safe, all of you. Take care of each other. Dismissed.”</p>
<p>Everyone bowed before exiting the office. Yamato, Kakashi, and Konan let the chūnin go first before they exited. Tsunade couldn’t help but heave a sigh as the door closed. She would never admit it out loud, but she worried herself sick over Team 7 sometimes.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The walk home was full of subdued excitement. On the one hand, Naruto was overjoyed to be able to go on a mission with his teammates and friends again. On the other hand, the mission was S-ranked, and for good reason: the possibility of facing more of the Akatsuki was near certain. All of Team 7 plus Haku had gotten stronger, but they were still apprehensive about facing the Akatsuki, especially after the briefing they were given on the remaining members.</p>
<p>Sasuke and Naruto bade goodbye to Sakura before walking quietly back to their apartment. They had an early dinner of chicken curry, courtesy of Sasuke, which they ate in relative silence. It wasn’t until they both were studying some of their scrolls that Naruto finally broke the silence.</p>
<p>“Hey, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>“Yeah?”</p>
<p>“Are you nervous?”</p>
<p>“About the mission?” Sasuke replied, not looking up from his scroll.</p>
<p>Naruto chose his next words carefully. “About the chance of running into your brother,” he said quietly.</p>
<p>Sasuke froze. His eyes were still on the scroll, but they had glazed over with a far-off look. A pregnant moment passed before he found his voice. “Honestly, yes. I know I’ve been preparing myself for so many years to face him and demand answers from him, but the thought of actually facing him, having to fight him…”</p>
<p>“It feels weird, doesn’t it?” Naruto finished.</p>
<p>A sigh escaped the young Uchiha through his nose. His voice was a low rumble as he spoke. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it.” He rolled the scroll up and reached for another as he continued. “I used to think revenge was the only thing that mattered. You and Kakashi-sensei made me realize that it isn’t. To be honest, I don’t know how I feel about facing him.”</p>
<p>Naruto took a small sip of tea. “What do you think you’ll do if that happens?”</p>
<p>There was a pause before Sasuke answered. “I don’t know,” he said before pausing again to organize his thoughts. “I…don’t think I’ll kill him. I don’t want to kill him anymore. I just want answers. I want to know why he did what he did.” He struggled to keep his lower lip from quivering as he felt a mélange of emotions course through him.</p>
<p>Naruto put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “I’ll be right there with you if you need me, Sasuke. You don’t have to face him alone.”</p>
<p>Sasuke took a deep breath, placing his hand on top of Naruto’s. “I know. Thank you.”</p>
<p>A moment passed before the two returned to their scrolls. As he read through his fūinjutsu scroll, another thought invaded Naruto’s mind. “Hey Sasuke?”</p>
<p>The Uchiha hummed in response.</p>
<p>“Do you think I’m ready?”</p>
<p>Sasuke paused his reading to turn to his friend. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged. “Ready for this mission, I guess. Well, not really. I mean, am I ready to fight with my Rinnegan, do you think?”</p>
<p>“Konan was one of the leaders of the Akatsuki, right? She’s not easy to beat in a spar, and you won more as time went on. Even then, you beat Pain without the Rinnegan before. Whoever they send our way, Itachi or not, is gonna be in for a surprise,” Sasuke reassured.</p>
<p>Naruto couldn’t help but smile. “That means a lot, coming from you. Thanks.”</p>
<p>They sat for a while more, poring over their respective scrolls. Naruto was the first to roll up and set it aside. He washed his teacup and made his way to his room. “I think I’m gonna pack and try to get some sleep. See you in the morning, Sasuke,” he said over his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Yeah, same here. See you tomorrow. Don’t make me drag you outta bed,” Sasuke replied as he put away his own scroll. Naruto responded with a snort as Sasuke washed his own teacup before retiring to his room to pack.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“A mission? Really? Where to?” Ino probed as she sipped on some tea.</p>
<p>Sakura let a small sigh escape her. She knew Ino had a big mouth when it came to sensitive information, whether it was who’s interested in who or anything that was on a need-to-know basis. “I can’t tell you. All I can say is that I’ll be gone for a week, probably more,” she explained, hoping to sate her roommate’s thirst for information.</p>
<p>“Oh, I get it. One of <em>those</em> missions. Don’t worry about it, Forehead, I hear ya loud and clear.” She took another drink as Sakura sat down with her own cup, letting herself relax. Ino picked up on her subtle tells: her fingers were twitching ever so slightly against the teacup, and she was staring into her tea.</p>
<p>“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” Ino questioned, her tone almost motherly.</p>
<p>Sakura’s emerald eyes snapped up to meet Ino’s baby blues. They were stern, but they held concern beneath. She gave a small nod. “It’s just been awhile since I’ve been on an actual mission. I hope I’m ready for this,” she said quietly.</p>
<p>Ino scoffed. “Hey, buck up, Forehead. You’ve been training like crazy this past month. You’ll be fine!”</p>
<p>Sakura smiled meekly as she took a sip. Ino’s eyes narrowed, sensing more than just a lack of self-confidence. She tapped her chin with her manicured finger before she spoke quietly. “You’re worried about something. Or some<em>one,</em>” she stated.</p>
<p>The pink haired girl froze before she gave the tiniest of nods. Ino let out a sigh. “Alright, Forehead. Spill. You’re not leaving this table until you tell me what’s on your mind,” she ordered.</p>
<p>“Okay, yes, you’re right. I’m worried about someone—or rather some <em>people</em>,” Sakura relented as she set her teacup down. “I’m just worried about Naruto and Sasuke. If anything happened to either of them and I couldn’t do anything…” She didn’t want to finish that sentence, lest her mind wander even more than it already was.</p>
<p>She was snapped out of her ruminations by Ino’s hand resting on hers. “Hey. Don’t worry so much. They’re strong, and so are you. You’ll all be okay. Alright?” Ino’s voice was soft and soothing, like a gentle summer rain.</p>
<p>Sakura took a deep breath, letting the words sink in. “You’re right, Ino. Thank you.” She smiled warmly at the platinum blonde, who returned it with her own smile. The two young women sat in silence for a bit, drinking tea and enjoying each other’s company. Sakura finished her tea and retreated to her room for the night to pack and try and sleep. Ino followed suit soon after, though she stayed up a little longer to read some material that her father gave her regarding the finer points of gathering intel using her clan’s jutsu.</p>
<p>Despite the reassurances, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura couldn’t help but feel nervous. They’d hunted for Orochimaru, but this was different. The possibility of meeting the Akatsuki head-on in a foreign village, along with Naruto’s newly acquired dōjutsu only raised the stakes. The prospect of facing Itachi did no favors for Sasuke, either. Team 7 slept eventually, but not before tossing and turning restlessly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The plot continues! I know this is silly, but I just love the thought of Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke having their own cloaks to make them look cool.</p>
<p>Translations:</p>
<p>Byakugō no In - Strength of A Hundred Seal</p>
<p>Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku - Fire Style/Release: Great Fire Annihilation/Majestic Destroyer Flame</p>
<p>Sōzō Saisei - Creation Rebirth/Mitotic Regeneration</p>
<p>Jiongu - Earth Grudge Fear/Earth Grudge</p>
<p>Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 18 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Leaves Among the Clouds</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The squad of Konoha shinobi arrives at Kumogakure.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly present: chapter 18! This one was a challenge to write just because of the dialogue.</p>
<p>Hmmm. Nope! Don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto and Sasuke were awake just as the sun was peeking over the horizon. The oranges and pinks of the sunrise painted the early morning sky. Normally, they’d be dragging themselves out of bed and plodding through their morning routines. Today, however, the anticipation of their first mission since the destruction of the village gave them newfound energy. They ate their simple but filling breakfast of eggs over rice and double checked their bags to make sure they had everything they needed.</p>
<p>Sasuke locked their apartment door before they set out towards the main gate. He could tell that despite Naruto’s upbeat attitude, he was nervous. The blond wore an almost plastic smile the whole time and kept making idle small talk about nothing in particular. It was a defense mechanism; mask the nerves with near-overwhelming positivity.</p>
<p>As they made their way along the main road, the duo was joined by Sakura and Haku. Their trek was as quiet as the early morning. Only a few birds were awake to sing, yet no roosters crowed. The air was crisp, and the morning dew glistened on leaves and blades of grass like tiny diamonds. Under normal circumstances, it would be a beautiful morning to run a few laps around the village.</p>
<p>Anxiety settled in the stomachs of the four chūnin like a heavy stone. They all knew they were prepared, and even had two jōnin present if things took a turn for the worst. Sakura internally chalked it up to the fact that it was their first mission together after a good amount of time. Haku was more concerned with representing themselves in a decent manner. Being in a foreign village meant diplomacy and etiquette were more important than usual.</p>
<p>Sasuke couldn’t keep his thoughts away from his brother. The thought of having to face him after so many years nearly made him lose his appetite at breakfast. He tried to push those thoughts down and remind himself that he was more than ready, especially with his friends at his side.</p>
<p>Naruto just wanted to keep them safe. Every time someone he cared about got hurt, the Nine-Tailed Fox would make itself known. He reassured himself that his father’s seal would hold, but a part of him nagged that the seal could only hold back so much if he went into another blinding rage like he had against Pain.</p>
<p>Yamato and Kakashi were already at the gate, as was Konan. The four chūnin regarded their jōnin leaders before Naruto fixed his attention on the azure-haired woman.</p>
<p>“Konan? I thought you weren’t coming?” He puzzled.</p>
<p>“I came to see you off. It’s only fitting that I would after instructing you for the past month,” she said with sincerity. She met his spectacled gaze. “This is the first step along your path. Don’t doubt yourself. Know that I and all of your friends and comrades believe in you and your abilities.”</p>
<p>A small, determined smile graced his features as he gave a single nod. “I’ll do my best.”</p>
<p>Kakashi stepped forward. “Is everyone ready?” The four chūnin nodded firmly in unison. Kakashi turned to Yamato, who nodded in acknowledgement. With that, the six-man squad set out for Kumogakure.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Traversing the Land of Fire had taken them two days, with only a few stops for meals and rest. The terrain was familiar, since they had been through the northwest part of the Land of Fire once before, when they were hunting Orochimaru. The third day brought them to the Land of Hot Water and Yugakure, which Naruto visited during his travels with Jiraiya. The climate was similar to Konoha and the Land of Fire, but was a bit more humid, likely from all the hot springs that the country was known for.</p>
<p>After a day in the Land of Hot Water, the party crossed into the Land of Frost, much to the dismay of the Konoha natives. Haku was as happy as a clam, especially after being subjected to the stickiness of Yugakure. Sakura wasn’t terribly uncomfortable, given how much she’d trained with her Hyōton, while Kakashi and Yamato showed no signs of being bothered. Naruto was essentially a human heater, but wore his provided cloak just in case. Sasuke simply tried to keep his teeth from chattering. It didn’t help that he was naturally cold, either.</p>
<p>It took another day and a half to trudge through the Land of Frost and make it to the Land of Lightning. Thankfully, Kumogakure was only half a day’s travel after that, much to the relief of everyone. Naruto had been less than quiet about how far away Kumo was from Konoha, and Haku repeatedly had to hold Sakura back from delivering a sucker punch to the bellyaching blond. The group was grateful to finally be able to get some amount of rest and carry out their mission.</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was late afternoon when the six-man squad arrived at the main gates of Kumogakure. The surrounding terrain was much rockier than they expected, with barely any vegetation to speak of, save for the occasional fern or patch of moss. After verifying their identities and stating their business, the Konoha delegation was escorted by Kumo shinobi to the inn they would be staying at.</p>
<p>Kumogakure was unlike anything they had ever seen. The rocky terrain extended into the village to the point that spires of rock dotted the area within the walls. There were very few buildings at ground level, as most were built into the spires. Said buildings resembled ramen bowls made out of wood and glass, and encircled the spires they were built into. Adjacent spires were connected by large metal beams or walkways. The central building was the largest, bearing the kanji for “lightning” in a circular emblem. One of their escorts informed them that it was the Raikage Office, which the group surmised was the equivalent of the Hokage Tower in Konoha. As its name implied, there was a thin veil of clouds perpetually obscuring the village, even within the walls.</p>
<p>Naruto couldn’t help but crane his head at the sights. He expected the village to look different, but not this different. To him, it seemed as though the village was from another world entirely. Haku had been the one to gently remind him to keep up as the Kumo shinobi escorted them to the inn, but the blond couldn’t help but look around at the foreign village.</p>
<p>After ascending several flights of stairs, the Konoha envoys arrived at the bowl-shaped inn. The chūnin would share a room, as they were no strangers to sharing tents and campsites as genin, while Kakashi and Yamato would have their own shared room. Once they settled in, Naruto decided to order some room service, which his friends agreed to. Of course, he ordered ramen. Haku ordered grilled squid, miso soup for Sakura, and curried chicken for Sasuke. Just as they finished placing their orders, there was a knock at the door.</p>
<p>Naruto answered, revealing their silver-haired jōnin sensei. “Are you all settled in?”</p>
<p>“Yup. We just ordered dinner,” Naruto answered.</p>
<p>“Good. Make sure you rest up tonight. We meet with the Raikage first thing tomorrow morning. Captain Yamato and I will come get you when the time comes. Be ready.” Kakashi’s students could tell that he meant more than he was saying with his last words. Haku picked up on the way Team 7’s jaws set and reached a similar conclusion.</p>
<p>“Yes, sir,” the four chūnin replied in unison.</p>
<p>Their meals arrived quickly. Naruto deemed the ramen acceptable, but certainly not on the same level of Ichiraku’s. Haku had similar sentiments about the squid, mentioning how much fresher the seafood was in Kiri. Sasuke and Sakura were satisfied with their choices, though the curry was under seasoned for Sasuke’s taste. Normally, they would have talked for a while before calling it a night, but they were all tired from traveling. The four chūnin turned in early, a restful sleep easily finding its way to them.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Haku was the first one to rise, and gently woke his three friends up. Unfortunately, only Sasuke and Sakura woke up on the first try. He nearly had to drag Naruto out of his futon to get him to join them in the land of the living. They would have ordered breakfast, but opted for ration bars in the interest of time.</p>
<p>Naruto, Sasuke, and Haku slipped into their ninja gear in the room, while Sakura took the bathroom. Once she was decent, she joined her teammates as they donned their respective cloaks. Naruto replaced his sunglasses before tightening his headband a bit more, while Sasuke polished his ninjato one last time. Sakura and Haku double checked their senbon pouches, the former making sure she had first aid supplies, just in case.</p>
<p>Not long after they finished gearing up, there was a knock at their door. This time, Sasuke was the one to answer, and was greeted by both Kakashi and Yamato.</p>
<p>“Ah, good morning, Sasuke. Are you all ready to see the Raikage?” Kakashi prompted.</p>
<p>The three other chūnin scurried to take their place behind Sasuke. “Yes, sir!” They replied in unison. Kakashi couldn’t help but smile inwardly at their enthusiasm, while Yamato looked pleased with their discipline.</p>
<p>“Right then, let’s go meet our escort. We wouldn’t want to be late,” the silver-haired jōnin stated. The four chūnin followed closely behind, almost like a family of ducks, as they made their way to the inn’s lobby. Two Kumo shinobi were waiting for them, and after confirming the time of the appointment, the group set out for the central building.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The Raikage Office was more familiar than the Konoha shinobi anticipated. The layout was different, but it still carried the official atmosphere that the Hokage Tower did. A few Kumo shinobi milled about, likely delivering reports or messages. The Konoha party kept close to their two escorts, though Naruto couldn’t help but glance around out of curiosity.</p>
<p>They were taken to the Raikage’s office, which had large, heavy doors just like the Hokage’s office. These doors, however, were made of a lighter color wood, and a large desk was positioned just off to the right; a desk which sat empty. One of the Kumo escorts slipped inside to inform the occupants of the envoys’ arrival.</p>
<p>After some shuffling and muffled conversations, the shinobi and a woman emerged. She was dark-skinned, with dark blue-green eyes and grey hair. Two silvery bangs framed her face, while the rest of her hair was pulled into a bun. She wore an olive-green blouse and pencil skirt, along with a visible mesh undershirt.</p>
<p>“Welcome to the Raikage’s Office. You all are the messenger party sent by the Hokage of Konohagakure, I presume?” She asked. Her voice was calm—almost soothing to listen to.</p>
<p>“We are. Is the Raikage ready for us?” Kakashi replied.</p>
<p>“He is. Right this way, please,” the woman said as she opened the door and ushered the group inside.</p>
<p>They were met by two broad, muscular, dark-skinned men, one of whom was sat at a desk. A slender but athletic, fair-skinned kunoichi stood off to the side. The two men had nearly platinum blond, slicked back hair and facial hair, while the kunoichi’s hair was closer to sandy blond. The seated giant wore a white haori, curiously with no shirt underneath, and the other two shinobi wore variants of the Kumo uniform.</p>
<p>The man behind the desk wore large, golden vambraces on his forearms, likely a show of his strength. The other mustachioed shinobi had seven swords strapped to his back and wore dark sunglasses, while the kunoichi had a string of blue prayer beads wrapped around her left forearm. It was clear that these weren’t regular shinobi by any standards.</p>
<p>The seated man rose to his feet. “You must be the Konoha delegation. I am Ay, the Fourth Raikage of this village. I see you’ve already met Mabui, my assistant.” He gestured to the shinobi on either side of him. “This is my younger brother, Bee, and Yugito Nii, one of our jōnin. And you all would be?”</p>
<p>“Kakashi Hatake. This is my colleague, Yamato. And these four are our charges,” he said as he gestured to everyone, who took their cue to introduce themselves.</p>
<p>“Naruto Uzumaki.”</p>
<p>“Sakura Haruno.”</p>
<p>“Sasuke Uchiha.”</p>
<p>“Haku Yuki.”</p>
<p>The Raikage simply grunted in acknowledgement before returning to his chair. He folded his large hands on the desk, his vambraces coming to rest with a dull thud. “Now then, your Hokage was courteous enough to tell me of your arrival. But what I’m wondering is why she would warn me of an impending attack and urge me to keep my…assets within the village. You wouldn’t happen to have any information as to why that is, would you?”</p>
<p>“Well, Lord Raikage, the simple answer would be because the impending attack would be against your ‘assets,’ as it were,” Kakashi stated.</p>
<p>The Raikage’s scowl deepened. “And what proof do you have?”</p>
<p>“We have a credible source that has given us actionable intelligence regarding the targets,” Kakashi explained.</p>
<p>“And just who or what might this credible source be?” The Raikage probed.</p>
<p>“Well, I’m afraid I may not be at liberty to sa—”</p>
<p>“Does it matter? Even the <em>chance</em> of being attacked by the Akatsuki should be enough to put you on high alert!”</p>
<p>Everyone but Sasuke grimaced at Naruto’s outburst, while the Raikage and the two shinobi adjacent to him perked up at the mention of the Akatsuki. Ay leaned forward, meeting Naruto’s spectacled gaze. “And what would you know about the Akatsuki, kid?”</p>
<p>Before Naruto or Kakashi could say anything, Sasuke chimed in. “What my friend is trying to say is that since the Akatsuki are a collection of S-ranked criminals, it would make sense for any village to take the proper precautions.”</p>
<p>Kakashi shot him a grateful look before Ay continued his prying. “I’m aware of the threat the Akatsuki pose based on their ranks in the Bingo Book. But I fail to see what that has to do with my assets, or why the Hokage would send a delegation here, for that matter.”</p>
<p>“Lord Raikage, if I may; we—my team in particular—have experience in facing the Akatsuki. Naruto here has faced them on more than one occasion, and can vouch for just how serious of a threat they can pose to any shinobi village,” Kakashi reasoned.</p>
<p>Ay’s scowl only deepened further. “As I said, I’m aware of the threat the Akatsuki pose. Let me rephrase: what do the Akatsuki and Konoha have to do with <em>Kumo’s </em>assets?” His tone carried an edge of frustration.</p>
<p>The Raikage’s question hung in the air for a pregnant moment. Naruto decided to speak up when he saw that no one else would. “It has everything to do with them. I know you call them ‘assets,’” he began, forming air quotes around the last word. “But I know what they are: they’re jinchūriki. And you know <em>why</em> the Akatsuki would come to Kumo? For the jinchūriki. They won’t attack just for the sake of attacking, they’re targeting the jinchūriki.”</p>
<p>Ay leaned back in his chair, while Yugito and Bee couldn’t help but cock an eyebrow at the tenacious blond. Another tense silence passed before Ay spoke in a low, serious tone. “And how can you say for sure that the Akatsuki are targeting the jinchūriki?”</p>
<p>It was Naruto’s turn to scowl. “Because they attacked our village, too! And they were looking for <em>me!</em>”</p>
<p>Ay’s brow furrowed as he processed the information. Bee took this as his opportunity to voice his thoughts. “Yo Big Bro, I thought I sensed something familiar in Naruto’s chakra flow. He’s a jinchūriki, just like me and Yugito Nii!” He stated in a strangely rhythmic cadence.</p>
<p>Ay merely grimaced at his younger brother’s incessant rapping, but Yugito ignored it, instead asking her own question. “Which Tailed Beast do you house, boy?”</p>
<p>Naruto’s scowl softened, but only slightly. “First of all, I have a name: Naruto Uzumaki. Second, I’m the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.” The blond all but growled out his response.</p>
<p>Sasuke placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder in an effort to settle him down some. Naruto took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as Kakashi spoke. “As you can see, Lord Raikage, we’ve had our own run-ins with the Akatsuki for the very same reasons we are here to warn you.”</p>
<p>The haori-clad man snorted. “Is that all? Konoha sends six shinobi, one of whom is their own jinchūriki, for a <em>warning?</em>”</p>
<p>Yamato spoke up this time. “Well, not exactly, Lord Raikage. We were sent as a delegation to deliver a warning, yes, but we were also sent to bolster your ranks, should the attack take place while we’re here.”</p>
<p>“Bolster our ranks? Need I remind you that Kumogakure is an independent, sovereign hidden village with a more than capable standing army! The very idea that we should need reinforcements is an insult!” A vein on Ay’s forehead bulged in his furor.</p>
<p>Yamato opened his mouth to speak, but swallowed his words when Kakashi spoke. “Lord Raikage, with respect, as strong as Kumogakure is, these Akatsuki are not to be taken lightly. They have already captured the Four-Tails, the Three-Tails, and the One-Tail. Though they were unsuccessful in capturing Naruto and the Nine-Tails, they didn’t go down without a fight.” He gestured to his blond student. “Put simply, he’s one of—if not the best—assets <em>we</em> have to fend them off, and the Hokage sent us to you as a show of good faith.” Ay grunted as he considered Kakashi’s words.</p>
<p>“Given the history between our two villages, I would consider this lending of assets an olive branch. Don’t you agree?” The silver-haired jōnin added nonchalantly.</p>
<p>The Raikage subtly tensed at the implications behind his statement. He knew there was still unease between Kumo and Konoha due to the Hyūga Affair, despite the passage of time. As much as he loathed heeding the advice of a Konoha shinobi, he knew Kakashi had a point. Though, he did find it curious how much faith he and the rest of the delegation seemed to have on this jinchūriki of theirs. However, that was neither here nor there. He knew he had to keep his own jinchūriki safe if Kumo was to keep their aces up their sleeve. Not only that, he also wouldn’t need to send his own shinobi into danger to protect Bee and Yugito.</p>
<p>“You’re a shrewd diplomat, Kakashi of the Sharingan,” Ay stated before heaving a sigh through his nose. “But you have a point. Neither Bee nor Yugito have ever faced the Akatsuki. I suppose I’ll accept your help.”</p>
<p>“And what about us, Lord Raikage? Are we to fight off the Akatsuki alongside these Konoha shinobi?” Yugito wondered.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah! Let me at those Akatsuki fools! I’ll cut ‘em to bits with my sharpest tools!” Bee rapped enthusiastically.</p>
<p>“You two will stay in the village,” the Raikage said plainly.</p>
<p>“But Lord Raikage, we’re more than capable! We can fight and show the Akatsuki that Kumogakure is strong!” Yugito protested.</p>
<p>“Yeah Brother! Kumo is a top dog, we can take those Akatsuki out, like a whirlwind clearing a fog, whee!”</p>
<p>Ay flared his lightning chakra; just enough to cause some sparks. The room smelled of ozone, while everyone’s hair stood a little taller. Bee and Yugito snapped their mouths shut as he roared. “Silence!”</p>
<p>The office was quiet enough to hear the sparks of Ay’s lightning chakra dissipate into the air. The Raikage shot his two jinchūriki a look that told them he would explain his decision later, a look which was hidden beneath a scowl. The Konoha shinobi exchanged awkward glances, the tension thick enough that Sasuke could cut it with his ninjato.</p>
<p>Kakashi cleared his throat. “I thank you for your understanding, Lord Raikage. We’ll be sure to minimalize the possibi—”</p>
<p>“Yes, yes, yes, of course. Enough with the formalities. I’ve agreed to let you help, but I want to know just how you plan to fend off these Akatsuki attackers,” Ay interrupted. Yamato winced internally at how crass the Raikage could be. Though, he shouldn’t be too surprised, considering how often he and Shizune found Tsunade drinking or sleeping on the job. The latter was often a result of the former.</p>
<p>Kakashi gave an awkward masked smile. “Yes, of course. I was just getting to that,” he placated. Ay merely grunted as a cue for the jōnin to continue. By now, even Naruto was feeling uncomfortable at how the “diplomatic exchange” was going.</p>
<p>Kakashi cleared his throat once more. “Put simply, our plan is to meet them head-on before they have a chance to infiltrate the village. Once we’ve engaged, we plan to split them up, divert them away from the village, and eliminate them individually.”</p>
<p>The Raikage and Yugito cocked an eyebrow, while Bee hummed in acknowledgment.</p>
<p>“What if you fail?” Yugito probed.</p>
<p>Naruto answered without missing a beat. “We won’t.”</p>
<p>“And how will you know when they’re approaching the village?” Ay asked.</p>
<p>Yamato spoke up this time. “We can either scout ahead or wait for some of your shinobi to report anything. Given that this is your village, we’ll defer our decision to you.”</p>
<p>The Raikage mulled over the options for a moment. “What do we look for?”</p>
<p>“Black cloaks with red clouds on them. They’re not terribly difficult to spot, even from afar,” Yamato answered.</p>
<p>Ay nodded before snapping his fingers, causing two Kumo shinobi to flicker in front of him. “Send some scouts outside the village. Be on the lookout for two people wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them. Keep your distance and don’t try to engage. Report back as soon as you spot them,” he ordered. Without a word, the two shinobi flickered out of the office.</p>
<p>Another silence settled over the room before it was broken by the younger jinchūriki. “What about you guys? Which Tailed Beasts do you have?”</p>
<p>“As for me, Killer Bee, I’ve got the Eight-Tailed Ox, ya see!”</p>
<p>Yugito rolled her eyes before she stole a glance at the Raikage, who subtly gestured for her to speak. “I hold the Two-Tailed Cat,” she stated with the slightest hint of trepidation.</p>
<p>Naruto suddenly recalled what Gamamaru had prophesized to him: he would meet an octopus, a cat, and a beetle. He felt something click in his mind: a realization that he was connected to Yugito and Bee. Perhaps not in the same way as he was connected to Sasuke, Sakura, or Haku, but there was still a connection.</p>
<p>His mind went to his relationship with Gaara. They named each other friend, and both had a mutual understanding of what it was like to be an outcast in your own home. However, Bee and Yugito didn’t seem like they were ostracized. Rather, they seemed wholly accepted as jinchūriki, not looked down on and antagonized for it.</p>
<p>Naruto turned his attention to Ay. “Say, would it be okay for me to talk to those two when there’s time?” He gestured to the two Kumo jinchūriki.</p>
<p>The Raikage cocked an inquisitive eyebrow. “And why would I allow that?”</p>
<p>“Hold up, Brother. This dude might have somethin’ that Bee would like to see. He’s a jinchūriki like me and Miss Nii, so I say we let him tell us his story. Whee.”</p>
<p>Naruto swore he saw Yugito’s eye twitch at being called “Miss Nii,” but brushed that aside when he saw the Raikage’s face shift into a pensive expression. He let out a half-sigh, half-groan before he spoke. “Fine. But only after this whole Akatsuki matter is resolved. Understood?”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a firm nod, while Bee threw up two sideways peace signs. Yugito bowed her head ever so slightly in acknowledgment.</p>
<p>The Raikage turned his attention back to the Konoha delegation. “You said your village was attacked by the Akatsuki. It’s not often that someone has the audacity to do such a thing in broad daylight.”</p>
<p>“The Akatsuki are a different breed,” Kakashi remarked.</p>
<p>Ay grunted. “So it seems. Is there anything I should know about them?”</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to discuss any intelligence we have on them. Though I will say this: their abilities are unique, even among S-ranked ninja,” Kakashi stated.</p>
<p>The Raikage let out a snort. “I suppose I should have expected an answer like that. Ninja villages will always have secrets, even among potential allies. No matter. The scouts should be reporting back soon as to whether they’ve spotted these Akatsuki or not. Our patrols will likely be the first to see anything.”</p>
<p>Not a second later, a Kumo shinobi flickered into the office, his eyes wild and his breathing erratic.</p>
<p>“L-Lord Raikage! The s-scouts!” His lungs fought for precious oxygen as he tried to get the message out.</p>
<p>Ay rose to his feet, slapping his hands against the desk. “Spit it out!”</p>
<p>The shinobi took a deep breath. “The Akatsuki! They’ve been spotted! The scouts all retreated as soon as we saw them! They shouldn’t have seen us, and if they did, they didn’t react at all. They just kept walking.”</p>
<p>Ay clenched his fist in front of him. “Well! Where are they!” He demanded.</p>
<p>“Ten miles outside the outskirts of the village along one of the main roads to the south!”</p>
<p>The Raikage’s face set in a serious expression. “Have every shinobi chūnin and up prepare our defenses.” He turned to the two jinchūriki. “You two stay with me. Understand?” They both nodded before Ay turned to the group of Konoha shinobi. “Looks like you’re up, Konoha. Show me what you can do.”</p>
<p>The squad nodded firmly in unison before setting off at top speed out of the Raikage Office, making a beeline for the main gate. It was time for Konoha to make itself known.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Dun dun dunnn! Man, writing Bee's rapping was tough. It's no wonder not a ton of folks write his dialogue. Yugito is alive and well! Why? Because she got done dirty like so many other cool characters, that's why! Since maps are inconsistent, I figured it would take about five days to get to Kumo from Konoha. Makes me wish we had an actual official map of the world. Oh well. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 19 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Clash.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly submit to you: chapter 19.</p>
<p>Nope, don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Konoha squad flew out of the main gate and headed south, fanning out to cover as much ground as they could. They stayed close to the main roads that branched out from the village gate, keeping their senses on high alert for the two Akatsuki members. Sasuke, Kakashi, and Naruto searched for chakra signatures with their respective dōjutsu.</p>
<p>The rocky terrain made stealth difficult, since trees were sparse in the Land of Lightning. Fortunately, the roads were built in such a way that they cut through the few wooded areas present. They stayed in sight of each other, just in case something unexpected happened. Exercising caution was paramount, and maintaining the element of surprise was key.</p>
<p>It wasn’t long before the group spotted two figures walking along a lightly wooded path. Thankfully, the few trees present provided some cover as Kakashi signaled for everyone to get into position. They steeled themselves for what was to come as they waited.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Kisame and Itachi strolled along the road as though they were simply taking a leisure walk. They were being sent to Kumo to capture not one, but two jinchūriki. Both were surprised and slightly suspicious of the leader’s orders. He seemed almost unhinged at the time, stating that it was of the utmost importance to gather all the Tailed Beasts quickly. Whether or not it was done quietly was secondary. Zetsu appeared to be on triage duty, clarifying when necessary and issuing assignments in a more comprehensible manner. They did as they were told, however, since they knew that defying the orders would lead to a punishment that the leader said would be worse than death.</p>
<p>The two Akatsuki still had a way to go before they reached even the outer limits of Kumogakure. They were in no rush, of course. Taking their time was part of the element of surprise. Villages always expected attackers to move fast and strike hard, but Kisame and Itachi preferred to take their time and move quietly. At the rate they were moving, they’d reach Kumo in a few hours.</p>
<p>The duo abruptly stopped when they noticed a light mist covering the area. Itachi’s eyes immediately flared crimson, while Kisame couldn’t help but smirk. It had been awhile since he’d seen anyone use this jutsu. But something was off that made him scan the area with his beady eyes: a faint smell of ozone. Normally, he’d be able to clear the mist easily and reveal the location of their would-be opponents, but the mist was laden with lightning chakra that would disrupt any jutsu he attempted. He clicked his tongue with a smirk as he removed the massive, bandage-wrapped sword known as Samehada from his back.</p>
<p>Even Itachi slowly panned his gaze around the area they were in. The chakra-laden mist was making it difficult to see much of anything besides Kisame and his gargantuan sword. He had to rely on his hearing to pick out the slightest shuffle in the dirt, the smallest rustle of a single leaf. A silence that usually made its home in cemeteries settled over the area as the mist swelled into a thick fog.</p>
<p>Out of the fog, the sounds of a swarm of chirping birds and a whirlwind were heard, along with sandals hammering against the ground.</p>
<p>“Rasengan!”</p>
<p>“Chidori!”</p>
<p>The spiraling mass of chakra collided with Kisame’s back, digging itself into his spine. Sasuke’s lightning-covered forearm speared through Itachi’s chest, piercing his lung, and only just missing his heart. Not a split second later, Kisame dissolved into a puddle of water, while Itachi morphed into a mass of crows that flew away.</p>
<p>Naruto and Sasuke grit their teeth as they whipped their heads around, searching for the two rogue shinobi. Haku released the jutsu, causing the mist to thin as the two friends beheld their targets emerging from the shadows on either side of the road. Naruto glared daggers at the blue-skinned shark man, who hefted his sword upon his shoulder. Sasuke threw an icy crimson stare at his older brother, whose own Sharingan were also ablaze.</p>
<p>“Well, well. Looks like we’ve hit a bump in the road, eh, Itachi?” Kisame sneered. His partner only hummed with indifference.</p>
<p>“I’d stay out of our way if I were you, boys. You could get seriously hurt if you tried to fight us,” the rogue Kiri nin mocked.</p>
<p>A deep scowl marred Naruto’s face. “You bastards are looking for a jinchūriki, right?” He growled.</p>
<p>“Don’t interfere,” Itachi warned with a flat tone. He may have been answering Naruto, but his crimson gaze never left his younger brother.</p>
<p>“You sons of bitches want a jinchūriki so bad? Well you can’t have them! I won’t let you!” Naruto roared.</p>
<p>Immediately after his declaration, a flurry of senbon zipped towards Kisame, while a hail of kunai and shuriken barreled toward Itachi. The former hefted Samehada and blocked the senbon, while the latter drew a kunai and deflected each of the projectiles as though it were child’s play.</p>
<p>Kakashi appeared next to Sasuke with a kunai drawn. The younger Uchiha drew his blade as Naruto produced his own kunai and turned to face Itachi. Sakura, Haku, and Yamato flickered into position in front of Kisame, senbon and kunai at the ready.</p>
<p>The combatants stared each other down for what felt like hours. No animals dared call or show themselves. A heavy silence settled over the area, further thickening the air with tension. Only the wind dared whisper through the trees, rustling some of the leaves.</p>
<p>Sasuke rhythmically tightened and relaxed his grip on his blade to keep himself grounded as his heart pounded in his chest. Naruto simply glared at the murderer of the Uchiha clan, taking deep breaths to keep his emotions at bay. Kakashi’s exposed Sharingan showcased his furrowed brow. Haku, Sakura, and Yamato held stern expressions, their senses on high alert.</p>
<p>Without warning, Haku flew through hand seals with one hand. The puddle that was Kisame’s water clone boiled to life, forming itself into a group of water needles. The razor-sharp water flew straight for Kisame. The shark man raised his bandaged sword and blocked the needles. Just as he regained his footing, a great wooden fist burst from the ground, cocking back to punch him. He raised Samehada, which bore the brunt of the impact, but not without sending him flying into the rocky woods. The two medics and Mokuton user leapt after him.</p>
<p>Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi flew through hand seals before they each unleashed a fireball hurtling towards Itachi. The rogue Uchiha narrowed his crimson eyes before dissolving into a group of crows and flying away from the road. The trio followed him, their dōjutsu as much ablaze as the trees they ignited.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Haku, Sakura, and Yamato knew to keep their distance. Konan may have skipped her briefing on the shark man but the dossier in the mission scroll held valuable tactical information on their opponent. They couldn’t get close to him and risk being hit by Samehada, but they also couldn’t let him have any openings to perform any water jutsu.</p>
<p>Haku and Sakura immediately leapt up into the trees, hopping from branch to branch and flinging senbon at the rogue Kiri nin. Yamato slammed his hands onto the ground, channeling his chakra into the surrounding tree roots, forcing them to shoot up below Kisame’s feet. He was quick. Whatever he didn’t dodge, he blocked with Samehada. The chakra-reinforced tree roots shattered with each swing of the mighty blade as though they were made of glass.</p>
<p>The game of cat and mouse continued, with Kisame bobbing and weaving while intermittently cleaving through erupting tree roots. Finally, an opening presented itself. Yamato’s roots seized the rogue’s ankles, holding him in place. More wood exploded from the ground, binding his wrists. Kisame was unable to move, much less heft Samehada.</p>
<p>Sakura and Haku took their opening, weaving through unusual hand seals. The temperature of the surrounding air plummeted to sub-zero temperatures as they molded their chakra.</p>
<p>“Hijutsu, Makyō Hyōshō!” They cried in unison.</p>
<p>A dome of ice sheets materialized before Kisame’s beady eyes as they widened. He tightened his grip on Samehada as images of Sakura and Haku rippled onto the sheets. In the blink of an eye, Kisame’s head jerked to one side from a sudden impact while a senbon lodged itself into his shoulder. Again and again, his head jerked while senbon hit pressure points on his shoulders, arms, and torso. He grit his sharpened teeth as Sakura landed punch after punch.</p>
<p>Kisame resembled a bruised pincushion by the time the ice mirrors dissolved. Haku and Sakura stood side by side behind Yamato, panting. They tensed as they felt a shift in the air. Kisame suddenly melted into a puddle of water. Yamato cursed as he released his hold on the now empty space.</p>
<p>“Suiton, Suikōdan no Jutsu!” Kisame roared from the trees.</p>
<p>A large, shark-shaped water bullet screamed towards the trio. Yamato acted quickly, slamming his palm onto the ground.</p>
<p>“Mokuton, Mokujōheki!” Tightly clustered wooden pillars burst from the ground, forming a half-dome that shielded them from the water jutsu. Sakura and Haku turned, waiting for their foe to show himself.</p>
<p>They didn’t need to wait long before the wooden half-dome was reduced to splinters by Samehada. The three immediately leapt back, creating some distance between them and their attacker.</p>
<p>Kisame chuckled as he pointed his sword at them. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Hyōton used. Color me surprised.” He focused his attention to Haku and Sakura. “You two must be from Kiri, which only makes this all the more interesting. Even Samehada is getting excited.” He bared his sharpened teeth as he smirked. Haku and Sakura’s faces set into a scowl as they each fell into a defensive stance.</p>
<p>Kisame charged, his eyes wild, Samehada pulled back to deliver a sweeping strike. The trio dodged. Haku drew more senbon and threw them at the shark man. As he dodged the needles, Sakura charged him, aiming a chakra-enhanced kick to his torso—only for it to be halted by the broad side of Samehada. She immediately pushed herself off of the sword, narrowly avoiding being cut by Kisame’s counterattack. Yamato launched sharpened wooden projectiles at Kisame. Samehada reduced them to mulch with a single swing.</p>
<p>Sakura repositioned herself, this time aiming for the shark man’s back. She charged in, her chakra-enhanced fist cocked back. The blow connected with a sickening thud, sending the cloaked rogue shinobi flying. Not one to be made a fool, he adjusted himself, skidding to a halt as he landed on his feet.</p>
<p>Haku seized the opportunity and hurled a kunai tagged with a paper bomb, detonating it as close to the sword-wielding Akatsuki as he could. In a flash, Yamato created a wooden dome to trap Kisame after the explosion. Black smoke leaked through its cracks as the trio watched with bated breath. A moment of silence passed before the wooden dome was once again reduced to splinters, revealing an unharmed Kisame. A conniving grin was plastered on his face, his eyes wild.</p>
<p>Sakura grit her teeth before turning to her comrades and nodding to them. They returned the nod before she and Yamato barreled towards Kisame. Haku kept his distance, watching and waiting for his chance to strike. Sakura and Yamato split up, but not before Kisame launched a large water bullet at them.</p>
<p>The kunoichi channeled ice chakra into her hand, encasing it in a hard layer of ice. She raised her fist and punched through the water bullet, reducing it to a harmless splash as she continued her charge.</p>
<p>Kisame’s smirk grew into a sadistic smile as he let out a chuckle. His smile held fast as he watched the two split up to pinch him. Yamato formed his fist into a spiked wooden block, while Sakura increased the thickness of her ice fist and added spikes to her knuckles.</p>
<p>Just as their blows were about to connect, they saw a flicker of white. Their fists impacted the bandaged blade with a muffled clang. The two pushed off, creating some distance before Haku sent another volley of senbon to be blocked by the accursed sword.</p>
<p>More wooden spikes burst forth from the ground, hurtling towards Kisame. At the same time, a swarm of water needles formed in the surrounding air, jetting towards him. He managed to block the wooden spikes, but some of the water needles tore through his cloak. However, they hadn’t pierced his torso as Haku intended.</p>
<p>Kisame turned his feral gaze towards his challengers, a single cut running along his left cheek leaking blood. He let out a low, menacing laugh. “You three sure are persistent. This is going to be fun.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi found Itachi in a rocky clearing. They slowly approached the rogue Uchiha, careful not to make any sudden moves. Itachi’s Sharingan was ever-present as he stared them down, though he was mostly focused on Sasuke.</p>
<p>The only sound was the wind whistling through the clearing, making Naruto and Sasuke’s cloaks billow ever so slightly. They all stood motionless. The three Konoha shinobi glared at the rogue nin, being careful not to look directly into his eyes.</p>
<p>Another breeze blew through before Itachi finally broke the silence. “So, do you think you’re strong enough to finally face me, little brother?”</p>
<p>Sasuke remained stone-faced as Naruto clenched his jaw. Neither wanted to give Itachi the satisfaction of letting him get under their skin. It took all of Naruto’s self-control to not show his anger. Sasuke maintained his façade, vowing to himself to not let his doubts manifest and make him weak in the face of Itachi.</p>
<p>After being met with silence, the older Uchiha spoke again. “You know it’s useless, Sasuke. Even if you’ve trained, you can’t beat me. You may have your Sharingan, but I don’t sense any hatred from you. You’re still weak, foolish little brother.”</p>
<p>A moment passed before Sasuke found his voice at last. “We’ll see about that, foolish older brother.”</p>
<p>Sasuke’s right hand twitched as he charged. His Sharingan blazed as he let a swarm of shuriken fly. Itachi quickly produced a kunai and blocked every single one without flinching. In an instant, Sasuke swung once he closed the distance. His ninjato collided with Itachi’s kunai with a resounding clang.</p>
<p>The other two Konoha shinobi darted behind Itachi, flying through hand seals and launching two fireballs at him. Sasuke pushed off just in time to avoid being incinerated, but Itachi dissolved into a swarm of crows. He rematerialized in front of Sasuke, swinging a kunai. Sasuke parried, aiming a stab at Itachi’s torso. Empty space between crows appeared where a punctured lung should have been.</p>
<p>Sasuke sheathed his ninjato as Itachi rematerialized a few yards in front of him. Naruto and Kakashi retreated behind their comrade, trying not to interfere too much. This was Sasuke’s fight more than anyone’s, but he still wanted their help in creating openings for him to incapacitate his brother.</p>
<p>Itachi stowed his own kunai before the two Uchiha flew through hand seals. They inhaled deeply, and on the exhale, a stream of flames shot from each of their mouths, blooming into a fireball the size of a small house. Just before they collided, Sasuke’s fireball exploded to the size of the main Konoha gate, easily devouring his brother’s fireball.</p>
<p>Itachi’s eyes widened as he stopped his jutsu to dodge the oncoming wall of flame. Just as he was out of harm’s way, the trio charged once more. Sasuke and Kakashi barreled towards him, one from the front and one from behind, their dominant hands covered in lightning chakra. They narrowly avoided hitting each other as Itachi once again dissolved into a swarm of crows.</p>
<p>Sensing danger behind him, Sasuke drew his ninjato and turned to block what would have been a debilitating stab from Itachi’s kunai. The two traded blows, blocking each other’s slashes and stabs in a glorified stalemate. Sasuke grunted as he pushed off from his brother, who sent a cluster of kunai flying.</p>
<p>The younger Uchiha blocked them with a single swing of his ninjato. Naruto growled, creating five shadow clones and charging Itachi, each with a kunai in hand. The blond wasn’t as proficient with thrown weapons but could hold his own in a close-quarters fight.</p>
<p>Itachi was fast. He dodged all the blows Naruto and his clones threw, even the ones that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye. Itachi’s counterattacks would normally have landed, but Naruto was able to dodge and block thanks to the enhanced perception the Rinnegan gave him. His spars with Sasuke had paid off.</p>
<p>Itachi took notice of how Naruto was fighting. The boy was able to dodge kicks, punches, and slashes from his kunai as though he saw them coming from a mile away. The blond managed to surround Itachi with five shadow clones, all of which were fighting alongside the original. Itachi had his hands full, but he had to admit that his opponent was nothing if not persistent.</p>
<p>One of the clones drew his fist back for a sucker punch, only for his target to dissolve into crows once more. He rematerialized behind what he assumed was the original, kunai drawn. The fight would be over once he put the kunai to his throat—</p>
<p>At least that’s what would have happened. Naruto spun and slammed his foot into Itachi’s stomach with a sickening thud. All the wind left the Akatsuki member as he nearly doubled over with a grunt. Naruto followed up with another punch meant for Itachi’s face, only for it to be blocked with his forearm, taking the opportunity to put some distance between himself and the blond.</p>
<p>The older Uchiha stifled a wet cough as he internally reeled over what just happened. There was no way Naruto should’ve been able to see that coming. He made sure to conceal himself until the very last second before rematerializing. The only ones who could have seen him were Kakashi and Sasuke, and they were off to the side. Itachi noticed a strange concentration of chakra around Naruto’s eyes, but he put that thought aside. He had other things to worry about.</p>
<p>Just as he straightened, he felt something grab his ankles. Itachi looked down to see Kakashi’s gloved hands holding him in place. His head snapped back up to see Naruto charging him, Rasengan roiling in his hand.</p>
<p>The blond slammed his Rasengan into Itachi’s torso, sending him flying backwards. Naruto cursed as he watched the Akatsuki member turn into another mass of crows and fly off. After dispelling his clones, Naruto made his way back to Kakashi, who had resurfaced.</p>
<p>Itachi rematerialized in front of Sasuke, who instinctively swung his blade. A resounding clang echoed through the clearing as it was blocked by a kunai. Sasuke’s jaw clenched as he was locked in a battle of will. Neither would budge as their weapons twitched against each other. Finally, Sasuke managed to leap back, putting some distance between the two of them once more.</p>
<p>The Uchiha brothers stood for a moment, catching their breath and staring each other down. Sasuke watched Itachi’s eyes morph into their Mangekyō form, resembling a three-pointed, curved shuriken against his crimson iris.</p>
<p>“Your jutsu are impressive, and you may have your third tomoe, but your eyes are still weak. <em>You </em>are still weak. Now, let me show you true strength and the true power of the Sharingan, Sasuke.”</p>
<p>Sasuke took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Naruto, sensei; it’d be better if you didn’t interfere from here on out. This is between me and my foolish older brother. Go check on the others, they might need your help.”</p>
<p>Naruto’s brows shot up as he took a step forward. “But, Sasuke, I thou—”</p>
<p>“Trust me, Naruto. I’ll be fine. Go.”</p>
<p>Naruto bit his tongue as Kakashi nodded to him. The two set off in the direction of the road to look for their teammates and Kisame. Sasuke’s eyes remained closed as he exhaled through his nose.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t worry about my eyes, if I were you, Itachi.” He pointed his ninjato at his estranged brother. “I have questions. You have answers. I’m going to get those answers. One way…” Sasuke opened his eyes to reveal his crimson pinwheel Mangekyō. “…or another.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fight scenes are a challenge, to be certain.</p>
<p>Translations:</p>
<p>Hijutsu: Makyō Hyōshō - Secret/Hidden Jutsu: Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals/Crystal Ice Mirrors</p>
<p>Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu - Water Release/Style: Water Shark Bullet/Water Shark Bomb Jutsu</p>
<p>Mokuton: Mokujōheki - Wood Release/Style: Wood Locking Wall/Domed Wall</p>
<p>Thank you so much for reading! Chapter 20 in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Brothers, But Only by Blood</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sasuke finally faces off against Itachi, while Naruto and the rest of the team take on Kisame.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly present: chapter 20. This chapter was real fun to write, lemme tell ya. This update is coming to you the day after my birthday, so, yay!</p><p>Nope, don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto and Kakashi sped through the lightly wooded area, looking for signs of their comrades. They didn’t have to travel far before they felt an immense chakra signature. As they veered towards it, they heard an angry yell.</p><p>“Suiton, Suikōdan no Jutsu!”</p><p>The duo skidded to a halt, watching Haku and Sakura form an ice dome. The shark-shaped water bomb crashed against the hastily conjured defense, causing it to crack. Once the water settled, the ice dome dissolved. Haku, Sakura, and Yamato looked fatigued after facing off against the large, blue man. Even Haku, normally as stoic as Kakashi and Sasuke, was left panting.</p><p>Kakashi and Naruto flickered in front of the trio, kunai drawn and casting glares at Kisame. Their respective dōjutsu were ablaze, though Naruto’s was hidden behind his sunglasses. Kisame bared his sharpened teeth in a devious grin.</p><p>“Well, this <em>is</em> a treat. Kakashi of the Sharingan, and the brat with the big mouth. Samehada is getting all riled up at the prospect of shaving off some of your chakra,” he sneered as he pointed the still bandaged sword at them.</p><p>“Yamato, keep Haku and Sakura safe and don’t jump in unless the situation is dire. All three of you take a breather,” Kakashi ordered.</p><p>“Understood,” Yamato acknowledged before leading the two medics away. Sakura turned, sparing a glance at her teammate and sensei. She loathed the thought of leaving her comrades to the shark man, but she knew she would only get in the way unless she took a minute to catch her breath.</p><p>Kisame planted Samehada into the ground next to him as he wove through hand seals and slapped his palm down onto one of the puddles. “Suiton, Suikōdan no Jutsu!”</p><p>Naruto and Kakashi acted quickly, weaving their own hand seals and releasing two large fireballs. The shark bomb was reduced to a cloud of steam. They seized the opportunity, charging the shark man, kunai raised.</p><p>Samehada’s sheer size made it seem unwieldy, but Kisame had no problem blocking every one of the blows Naruto and Kakashi threw. They narrowly avoided being cut by his counterattacks, which were faster than expected, given his size. They could only land glancing blows, which hardly made the shark man flinch.</p><p>Naruto and Kakashi leapt back, creating some distance between themselves and their opponent. Naruto gritted his teeth, producing five linked clones and charging again. Kakashi flung a paper bomb kunai at the ground in front of Kisame. Using the ensuing explosion as cover, Naruto surrounded the Akatsuki member with his clones.</p><p>Kisame’s sharp-toothed smirk never left his face as he held off the clones’ assault. Though, he could tell that there was something about the clones that was different. Their onslaught was rage-filled, to be certain, but they weren’t acting as independent clones—they seemed more coordinated than that.</p><p>Kisame swung Samehada, pushing the clones away from him. He took the opening, planting his sword in the ground and slapping his hands together in the Serpent seal. His cheeks and throat ballooned like a frog before he released a torrent of water. In the blink of an eye, riptide force waves barreled outward, smashing into trees and shadow clones alike.</p><p>Everyone within range narrowly avoided being swallowed up by the waves. The water settled, revealing Kisame resting Samehada on his shoulder. He looked around with his beady eyes, searching for any signs of his opponents. Naruto and Kakashi were in hiding, but he could feel their chakra signatures. Normally, he’d force them out, but he decided to stay put for now.</p><p>“Afraid to get wet, Konoha brats? I was just getting excited for our fight,” Kisame mocked.</p><p>He snapped his head around when he heard what sounded like chirping birds. He watched as Naruto leapt off of a tree branch, a mass of lightning held in his right hand. Kisame’s eyes widened as he watched Naruto throw the swirling ball with a roar. “Raiton, Rasenraidama!”</p><p>Kisame instinctively raised Samehada as the ball of lightning screamed towards him. He let out a chuckle as his smirk widened into a devious smile. Just before impact, the sphere exploded. The rogue nin’s smile faltered when bolts of lightning arced through the air, striking his sword and his body. He let out a pained cry as the electricity coursed through him, bringing him down to one knee.</p><p>He rose to see Naruto standing a ways away from him, arms crossed with a glare on his face. Kakashi landed gracefully on the water’s surface next to him. Kisame ground his teeth as he pointed Samehada at them. “Lucky hit, brat. But it’s gonna take more than that to stop me. Let’s make this fight even more interesting.” With that, the bandages covering Samehada tore open, revealing the many scale-like blades that gave it its name. The devilish grin returned to Kisame’s face. “Come.”</p><hr/><p>Itachi subtly tensed at the sight of Sasuke’s Mangekyō. His own crimson eyes widened before narrowing as he studied the younger Uchiha. Sasuke merely maintained his one-hundred-mile stare, his ninjato ready.</p><p>Itachi peered over his collar at his younger brother. “So, you’ve unlocked your Mangekyō Sharingan? I must admit, little brother, I’m impressed that you managed such a feat, but it’s still no use. You must know how to use your Mangekyō to truly be strong. You want answers? Show me you’re stronger than I am, and maybe I’ll give you answers.”</p><p>Itachi immediately flew through hand seals. Sasuke sheathed his ninjato and followed suit. Two massive fireballs collided in a hellish stalemate that bathed the clearing in an orange glow, neither Uchiha yielding to the other.</p><p>Sasuke hadn’t noticed that Itachi closed one eye. The black flames of Amaterasu clawed their way through from the depths of the inferno. Sasuke immediately cut his chakra flow and leapt back, narrowly avoiding being incinerated.</p><p>Drawing his ninjato, Sasuke channeled lightning chakra into it and charged his brother, Mangekyō ablaze. Itachi drew a kunai, readying himself. With a roar, Sasuke brought his own blade down. Itachi blocked the strike, the ensuing clang echoing through the clearing. Steel met steel time and time again as Sasuke hammered away with his sword while Itachi blocked every strike.</p><p>Itachi slashed horizontally with his kunai. Sasuke ducked and swung a leg at Itachi’s shin, his foot connecting with a crack. The older Uchiha crumpled before he brought his other foot up to punt Sasuke away from him.</p><p>Sasuke landed with a thud. Regaining his bearings and standing back up, he studied his elder brother. Itachi’s right eye was closed, and blood was running down his cheek. Sasuke narrowed his gaze. Something was off, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. He pushed those thoughts down, refocusing on beating the answers he needed out of his elder brother.</p><p>With a deep breath, Sasuke charged once more, pumping chakra into his legs. Itachi’s eyes widened as Sasuke barreled towards him, ninjato poised in front of him. The blade pierced Itachi’s left shoulder with a fleshy splat as Sasuke tackled him to the ground.</p><p>The younger Uchiha trembled with rage as he held his blade in a white-knuckled grip. He stared at the wound he inflicted before slowly turning his crimson pinwheels to Itachi’s face with a deep scowl.</p><p>Itachi let out a wet cough. “So, you’ve grown strong after all, little brother.”</p><p>Sasuke’s eyes widened as his target dissolved into another swarm of crows. He raised his head, only for it to be met by Itachi’s fist. Sasuke winced as he was sent flying, slamming into a tree. In an instant, Itachi reappeared, delivering a kick to his brother’s stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Sasuke recovered in the nick of time, countering with a punch to Itachi’s solar plexus before leaping back.</p><p>While Itachi doubled over, Sasuke fought the urge to dry heave as his lungs screamed for precious oxygen. He froze when he noticed Itachi spit up thick globules of blood. His brow furrowed; he hastily retrieved his ninjato. Sasuke stood a few yards away from his older brother and sheathed his blade.</p><p>“Enough games. You <em>will</em> answer my questions,” Sasuke ordered.</p><p>Itachi’s head hung as he began to tremble. A low chuckle grew into a maniacal cackle. Sasuke stiffened as he beheld the unhinged look in Itachi’s eyes. He kept his guard up, hand twitching near his ninjato.</p><p>“You don’t get it, do you, Sasuke? Your Mangekyō is not yours to bear.” Itachi raised his voice as he continued, his expression matching his wild eyes. “Do you even understand how to truly unlock the power of the Mangekyō?! You don’t deserve those eyes! Give them to me, and I’ll be able to surpass every Uchiha that’s ever lived!”</p><p>Sasuke instinctively drew his blade, shifting into a defensive stance despite Itachi’s lack of movement. His face set into a stony expression as his crazed older brother went on with his spiel.</p><p>“Do you know nothing of our clan’s curse?! Of the Curse of Hatred and the power it brings?! The Uchiha have been cursed for possessing such an unmatched power as the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan! Even my eyes are weak compared to the power it possesses! I will take your eyes and gain a new Sharingan, just as Madara Uchiha did in the past!”</p><p>Sasuke’s jaw clenched, his scowl deepening as he tightened his grip on his blade. He wanted to speak, but instead decided to let Itachi finish his string of madness. He couldn’t help but flinch when his brother raised his voice further.</p><p>“Madara nearly went blind from using the power of the Mangekyō, so he took his brother Izuna’s eyes, giving him the Eternal Mangekyō! You are an Uchiha, and so your fate is drenched in blood!” Itachi pointed. “Sasuke! You will become my new light! You are my spare eyes!”</p><p>For all of his anger, Sasuke couldn’t help but pity his estranged brother. His descent into whatever madness this was must have broken him. Sasuke shot a fireball into the sky, causing the clouds overhead to gather into a dark grey mass. He raised his blade as thunder boomed. A mass of lightning gathered in the center of a great maelstrom, crackling and chirping. He swung his arm down, bringing a titanic bolt of lightning with it.</p><p>“Enough!” He roared as the bolt struck the older Uchiha.</p><p>Sasuke took deep, shaky breaths as the dust settled. He looked to where his brother stood, seeing only a scorched spot of earth. He opened his senses to try and detect his chakra signature and picked up a faint trace. Sasuke watched as he rematerialized a few yards in front of him. His wayward smile had gone, but the wild look in his eyes remained.</p><p>In the blink of an eye, Itachi appeared in front of Sasuke and took hold of his neck. In one fell swoop, he slammed him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him once more. Sasuke grit his teeth as two clones held him down. His eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as he watched Itachi’s hand move towards his face. The cold, painted fingers stretched his eye open—</p><p>And <em>pulled.</em></p><p>Sasuke’s scream echoed through the clearing. He clutched his now-empty eye socket, slamming it shut as he curled up on the ground. Itachi’s clones dispelled while he produced a jar full of preserving fluid. With bloodied fingers, he plopped Sasuke’s eyeball into the jar, shutting the lid with a click.</p><p>Itachi approached his helpless brother, his clones holding him down. Using the same bloodied hand, Itachi extracted his other eye with a sickening rip. Sasuke slammed his other empty eye socket shut and let out another blood-curdling scream, his hands clutching his head.</p><p>Itachi’s voice was eerily calm as he spoke. “Just as I thought. You’re weak. You’ve been weak, and you will be even weaker now without your eyes. It’s over, Sasuke. You’ve lost.”</p><p>Sasuke laid motionless, his palms glued to his eye sockets, his face stained crimson. Satisfied with his triumph, Itachi walked over to the crumpled mass of his younger brother. Just as he took a step, he saw the world around him begin to melt as though it were an ice cube over a flame.</p><p>Itachi winced at a stabbing pain in his eyes. As they reverted to their normal three-tomoe form, he blearily watched as Sasuke brought his fist up into his solar plexus. The blow rid his already ailing lungs of the breath they held and sent him flying towards a tree. He impacted with a sickening thud and a grunt.</p><p>The older Uchiha broke into a bloody coughing fit. He looked up to see a blurry Sasuke glowering at him, his Mangekyō still ablaze. The icy steel of his ninjato pressed against his neck as he sat against the tree, helpless and bruised with blood dripping from his mouth.</p><p>Sasuke’s voice was as cold as the graves of his clansmen. “Just as I thought. You’re weak. It’s over, Itachi. You’ve lost.”</p><p>Itachi merely regarded him with a stoic expression and emotionless eyes. “Do it, then. End my life. I’m not resisting.”</p><p>“I’m sure you’d prefer that—the easy escape. You’re going to answer my questions first. Understand?” Sasuke pressed his blade a little closer to Itachi’s throat.</p><p>Itachi persisted. “Kill me, Sasuke. Isn’t that what you want? To avenge the Uchiha? To exact your reve—”</p><p>“You shut your mouth, you damned weasel. I couldn’t care less about revenge. All I want are answers. Why did you murder everyone in cold blood? Why did you kill Mother and Father?” He fought to keep his hand from trembling as he held the blade in a white-knuckled grip. “Why did you spare me?!”</p><p>Itachi coughed up more blood, taking a quivering breath before he answered. “I was ordered to,” he said plainly.</p><p>Sasuke let out a growl as he grit his teeth. “Liar! Tell me the truth!”</p><p>“It <em>is</em> the truth, Sasuke. Sparing you, however, wasn’t part of my orders. I decided to show you mercy. To take care of you, just like Father asked me to.”</p><p>Sasuke felt his blood boil. For all the rockiness of his relationship with his father, he still loved him, and to hear Itachi use his dying wish as an excuse for abandoning him nearly made him run his blade across his older brother’s throat.</p><p>“What the <em>fuck </em>would you know about mercy? Did you show Mother and Father mercy before you killed them? Did you show any of the other Uchiha any mercy?”</p><p>“Killing them <em>was</em> my mercy. If I didn’t kill them, someone else would have.”</p><p>“Don’t you fucking lie to me, Itachi!”</p><p>“I have no reason to lie. The truth is that Father and the others were planning a coup d’état. I’d heard the murmurs among the elders of their mistreatment under the Second and even the Third Hokage. I had orders to eliminate everyone.”</p><p>Sasuke fought the urge to screw his eyes shut, instead opting to clench his jaw. “Why couldn’t you spare Mother? She couldn’t have had anything to do with it! Even Father would have been willing to answer for his crimes! You could’ve spared both of them!”</p><p>Itachi had no answer. Instead he looked at Sasuke, his crimson eyes looking more lifeless than before. “Kill me, Sasuke. Avenge Mother and Father. Avenge the Uchiha. I’m asking you to kill me. My sins are many. This is my penance.”</p><p>A disgusted expression marred Sasuke’s face. “How fucking dare you,” he growled. He sheathed his ninjato and grabbed Itachi by the collar. “You expect me to just…grant you a merciful death? After all the shit you’ve done? After all you’ve put me through? Don’t think I don’t remember that night, Itachi. You fucked with my mind! You killed two of the most important people in my life! You didn’t even have the balls to face me yourself when we found your precious Akatsuki hideout!” He trembled with rage as he nearly tore Itachi’s cloak in his grasp. “I don’t know what your game is, but I’m not playing along. Fuck your penance. I won’t be made into your sacrificial lamb just so you can have a clear conscience or play god or whatever the hell it is you’re doing.”</p><p>“Then what will you do?” Itachi probed.</p><p>Sasuke thought for a moment, his grip relaxing only slightly. “I’m taking you back to Konoha, even if I have to tie you up.”</p><p>“And just how do you plan to do that?” Itachi asked placidly.</p><p>Just as the question left his lips, the ground rumbled as the duo felt a massive chakra spike. A small, devious smirk crawled across Sasuke’s mouth. “With my brother’s help.”</p><hr/><p>Naruto created five visually linked shadow clones, charging the blue-skinned man with a roar. Kisame’s smirk never left his face as he was surrounded once again by wildly swinging clones. One by one, he dispelled them with swings of the now fully revealed Samehada.</p><p>Just as the Akatsuki member moved to bisect the blond shinobi, he heard chirping behind him. He narrowly dodged Naruto’s lightning infused Rasengan as it exploded. The lightning bolts arced into and dispelled what turned out to be a Naruto clone. Kisame thought he was in the clear until he heard more chirping. Before he could turn around, Kakashi drove his arm through the shark man’s left lung, barely missing his heart.</p><p>Kakashi’s crimson eye widened as Kisame melted into water. He felt the water beneath his feet shift and ducked, barely avoiding having his head reduced to a mass of red goo on Samehada’s blade. Kakashi whipped around, kunai drawn and aimed at Kisame’s throat.</p><p>The shark man blocked with a resounding clang. His eyes were wild as they bored into Kakashi’s Sharingan in a battle of wills. With a coy chuckle, he pushed Kakashi back, swinging for the jōnin’s torso. The strike connected, scraping off bits of flesh and fabric. Kisame relished his success before Kakashi disappeared in a plume of smoke.</p><p>Pain spiderwebbed from Kisame’s back as Naruto planted a Rasengan squarely against his spine. Kisame arched backwards with a grunt and a sickening crack before he willed himself to swing his sword. Naruto leapt back, dodging the scaled blade. Yamato, Sakura, and Haku leapt up to a tree branch, watching the fight unfold.</p><p>Kisame grit his teeth as he channeled chakra from Samehada and healed the wound on his back. The team watched, stunned at the rate that the shark man was regenerating. It was on par with Naruto when he channeled the fox’s chakra. Kisame bared his teeth in another conniving smirk.</p><p>“Another good hit. This is getting interesting. But I’m afraid our time together must end here.” He surveyed the area, noting that the water level had dropped slightly, but a foot of water remained. He slapped his hands together in the Ram seal. The Konoha shinobi braced themselves as Kisame’s throat and cheeks inflated once again.</p><p>When he opened his mouth, an unfathomable amount of water barreled forth, sending even larger waves than before crashing against the trees. The Konoha team avoided being flattened but grew uneasy when the flow of water didn’t stop. They watched from their perches as the water brushed the tops of ten-foot trees, finally settling in a turbulent blue disc a half-mile wide. There was a deafening silence before the water started moving. In an instant, it all rushed inwards, forming a massive orb, the strength of the current dragging the team in. They sucked in a precious breath before they were trapped, suspended in the massive water prison.</p><p>Kisame stood on the ground, comfortably submerged, the same devious grin plastered to his face. Naruto watched him reach for Samehada, his eyes even wilder than before. He had to act. Either they would drown, or Kisame would kill them. Kakashi had told him not to use his Rinnegan abilities unless the situation was dire, save for visually linked shadow clones. He couldn’t let his secret be known, lest one of them escape and report back on their findings.</p><p>Naruto’s apprehension vanished as soon as he thought of the prospect of losing his friends in a watery grave. He extended his hands, creating the barrier and flipping the mental switch. In an instant, the water surrounding him started to disappear into his palms. He felt a surge of chakra as the massive orb of water deflated. It took a good minute before Naruto absorbed all the water and its chakra, leaving only puddles amidst the damp ground. The Konoha nin were left panting, thankful to be breathing air and not water.</p><p>He turned to Kisame, his face set in a deep scowl. Kisame’s smile disappeared and was replaced by an expression of shock. His mind raced. There was no way anyone but him could have made that water disappear! That technique, that jutsu, he swore he’d seen it before. His breath hitched as it finally clicked. Kisame liked fighting, but he was no fool. He knew when he was outmatched. He needed Itachi’s help, but he was busy with that other Konoha brat.</p><p>Grinding his teeth, the shark man flew through hand seals. “Suiton, Daikōdan no Jutsu!”</p><p>A giant shark made of water barreled towards Naruto, who immediately raised his hands, creating the same barrier as before. The massive shark collided with, and was sucked into, his palms, flooding him with even more chakra. Naruto gasped, feeling his reserves on the verge of bursting. He didn’t notice that Kisame had turned tail and run.</p><p>Instinctively, Yamato, Sakura, and Haku gave chase. Haku led the charge with his impressive speed, senbon at the ready. He let his needles fly, hitting a few of Kisame’s pressure points in his legs. Kakashi and Naruto weren’t far behind when Kisame lost his footing and ate dirt.</p><p>The shark man seethed as he yanked the senbon out of his legs and tossed them aside like twigs. Drawing Samehada, he channeled chakra from it to heal his wounds, readying the massive blade as the trio of Konoha ninja approached. There was no smile to be found, only a deep scowl and gleaming, serrated teeth.</p><p>Kisame swung wildly, trying to keep his attackers from landing any punches. Any senbon Haku sent his way were promptly swatted away by Samehada. Kisame leapt backwards and planted Samehada into the ground before speeding through hand seals and spitting water bullets at the approaching pursuers, who dodged them with ease. Chakra-reinforced wood exploded from the ground to restrain Kisame while Haku let more senbon fly. Sakura’s fist was cocked back, ready to deliver a devastating punch.</p><p>A devilish grin crawled across Kisame’s face. Just as the trio closed the distance, they found themselves caught in orbs of heavy water. The shark man broke free of the wooden restraints, grabbing his sword and channeling more chakra to heal himself. The three hadn’t seen or sensed the water clones that now held them captive in water prisons.</p><p>“You three have been a thorn in my side. I’m sure Samehada will enjoy your chakra,” he sneered with feral eyes.</p><p>Kakashi and Naruto finally caught up with them and beheld the sight of their trapped comrades. Kakashi acted quickly, channeling chakra into his Sharingan, shifting it to its Mangekyō form. Naruto felt the chakra spike and waited for his sensei to act.</p><p>The jōnin took aim at the shark man, who was about to bring Samehada down.</p><p>“Kamui!” A speck in the air turned into a spiral, beginning to suck in the top of Kisame’s head.</p><p>Before Kakashi could react, Samehada’s grip extended like a snake. The blade slithered over to where he stood and swung, grazing his arm and forcing him to leap away. His Kamui missed, taking a piece of Kisame’s cloak and his left side instead of his head like he planned.</p><p>The water clones melted, causing the prisons to dissolve as well. The now freed captives struggled to catch their breath as Kisame healed himself, readying Samehada to deliver a final blow. Haku instinctively leapt up, blocking the blow with a kunai. His save wasn’t without consequence. The scaled blade scraped against Haku’s left arm, shearing off bits of fabric and flesh, along with some of his chakra. In his frustration, Kisame sent Haku flying with a kick.</p><p>Just as Haku hit the ground with a thud, he turned his attention to Yamato and Sakura. Naruto felt rage bubbling up inside him, but fought to keep a lid on his anger, lest the Nine-Tailed Fox rear its ugly head again. He brought his hand up, focusing on Kisame and concentrating chakra into his hand. He felt the tug and pulled hard.</p><p>“Banshō Ten’in!”</p><p>Kisame was yanked away from his targets by some unseen force. He turned his head to see the blond Konoha shinobi with his hand raised and something moving behind him. It was silver, and had…serrations?</p><p>The rogue’s eyes widened as he fought to bring Samehada up to block the tail-like blade. He narrowly avoided being impaled before leaping back. Naruto retracted the blade as Kisame started running again.</p><p>There was no way he’d be able to face all of them, especially not Naruto. Not with these new abilities he had. He knew where they came from, but he didn’t want to believe it. He kept telling himself that this had to be a genjutsu that Kakashi must have put on him with that Sharingan of his.</p><p>He had barely gained ground towards the main road when he felt himself being pulled again. This time, the massive blade stabbed into him, puncturing his right lung and slicing clean through his ribcage. Kisame let out a bloody cough before struggling to free himself.</p><p>He finally wriggled free and channeled more chakra from Samehada, quickly healing himself before jumping away once more, studying his opponent. The blade was broad and serrated, with six holes at the tip. It extended all the way to Naruto’s lower back, where it seemed to originate from a metal ring that wrapped around his waist. He’d never seen anything like it.</p><p>Naruto glared at the shark man, his Rinnegan ablaze beneath his sunglasses. He took long, deep breaths to keep his head level.</p><p>“Sensei, go check on the others and have Sakura take care of Haku. He’s mine,” he said firmly, his spectacled gaze lingering on his opponent. The long blade retracted back into the blond and Kakashi sped off without a word.</p><p>Kisame’s smirk returned to his face. “Well, I must admit, those tricks you pulled were unexpected. You’re just full of surprises.” He drew Samehada, shifting into a neutral stance. “Seems you don’t plan on letting me leave here alive, judging from that last attack. Let’s at least make this interesting.”</p><p>Samehada’s grip shrank as the scales began crawling up Kisame’s arm, engulfing it and opening what looked like a mouth. Naruto watched as Kisame was all but consumed by the peculiar weapon, which changed his form from that of a shark-like man, to that of a man-like shark.</p><p>His head elongated, while his feet and hands turned into webbed claws. His Akatsuki cloak was reduced to tatters. The gill-like markings on his shoulders deepened, while fins sprouted from his forearms, reaching all the way past his elbows to his triceps. His physique grew significantly more muscular, and his teeth became larger and sharper. On top of all of it, he had sprouted a shark tail.</p><p>Kisame peered up at Naruto with hungry eyes. “Now I’ll show you why they call me the Tailless Tailed Beast,” he declared menacingly.</p><p>Naruto simply stood there, masking his surprise with an even deeper scowl. His voice was low as he stared down his opponent. “Don’t underestimate me.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow. Quite a bit happening here, huh? Itachi vs. Sasuke, Naruto using his Rinnegan abilities, and a new lightning Rasengan. I have to admit, rethinking how Sasuke and Itachi's fight would go was a bit of a challenge.</p><p>Translations:</p><p>Suiton: Suikōdan no Jutsu - Water Release/Style: Water Shark Bullet/Water Shark Bomb Jutsu</p><p>Raiton: Rasenraidama - Lightning Release/Style: Spinning Lightning Ball/Bomb</p><p>Suiton: Daikōdan no Jutsu - Water Release/Style: Great Shark Bullet/Super Shark Bomb Jutsu</p><p>One more thing. The name of the lightning Rasengan is something I did some research on before naming it. Sticking with the theme of using Japanese jutsu names, I arrived at it after looking at various kanji and what they translate to when they're combined. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 21 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Touching the Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto faces Kisame.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I humbly present: chapter 21.</p>
<p>I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Naruto stared down the beast-like Kisame, breathing deeply to steady his heart and keep his anger at bay. They each waited for the other to twitch, shift their weight, or give any sign of an impending attack.</p>
<p>In his restlessness, Kisame charged first.</p>
<p>Naruto slammed his palm down on the ground. “Kuchiyose no Jutsu!”</p>
<p>From a massive plume of smoke, a giant bird swooped down with a screech, aiming its sharp beak at the charging shark man. Kisame skidded to a stop, catching it by its beak with his finned arms. Naruto flinched; his eyes wide beneath his sunglasses as he watched the beast-man stumble backwards from the force of the impact. With a grunt, he heaved the gargantuan bird up, slamming it onto the ground and dispelling it in a cloud of smoke.</p>
<p>Gritting his teeth, Naruto slapped both palms onto the ground. “Kuchiyose no Jutsu!”</p>
<p>Two explosions boomed through the area, two plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, and two Rinnegan-bearing beasts emerged, charging full-speed at Kisame. The rhino bore down on him first, but he caught it just like he had the bird. Though he was pushed back farther, he still dispelled it with a slam against the ground.</p>
<p>A two-headed dog followed closely behind. With a punch, Kisame sent the animal flying, only for it to land on its feet. The shark man’s brow furrowed as he watched the dog sprout a third head. With a huff, he charged the beast, but ground to a halt when it split into three separate dogs.</p>
<p>For his size, Kisame was agile. He deftly dodged gnashing teeth, at times narrowly avoiding being turned into dog food. Any bites that landed were healed quickly thanks to his fusion with Samehada. One of the dogs managed to sink its razor-sharp teeth into his arm, eliciting a wince. He dared to look into the beast’s eyes. They held the very same eyes that Pain once possessed. How they came unto this Konoha brat, he didn’t know, but he knew he’d have to go all-out and end this quickly if he was to survive.</p>
<p>With a yell, Kisame freed himself from the dog’s maw, striking all three of them with a hard spinning kick. Throwing his hands into the Ram seal, he unleashed another onslaught of water. He channeled even more chakra than before, knowing he needed a field advantage. Once the area was sufficiently flooded, he built his water prison around himself and his foe.</p>
<p>Now in his element, Kisame let himself float upwards. The gills on his neck opened, letting water pass over them to take in precious oxygen. A sadistic grin crept across his mouth; his shark-like teeth bared. Naruto struggled against the weight of the water prison, trying to swim to the edge so he could break out. Kisame barreled towards the struggling blond, his eyes wild and hungry.</p>
<p>Naruto turned and saw Kisame gaining on him. Before he could move any further, the shark man tackled him, sinking his claws into his abdomen. Naruto let out a strained, muffled cry before Kisame’s jaw opened wide. With a sickening crunch, he sunk his teeth into Naruto’s neck. The blond writhed in agony under the deadly vice grip. Kisame smirked as he clamped his jaw down harder, relishing his quick victory.</p>
<p>The smirk faded when Naruto disappeared with a pop. Kisame whipped his head around, searching for the blond. Mild panic set in when he found no trace of him. He felt something disturb the water’s surface. Not a second later, the water prison started to shrink at an alarming rate. Kisame bolted towards where he felt the disturbance, his teeth bared. Before he could break the surface, the water prison popped like an oversized soap bubble, melting to barely a foot of water coating the area.</p>
<p>Naruto landed gracefully on the water’s surface some twenty yards away from a seething Kisame. With a roar, the combatants charged each other head-on. Just before they collided, Naruto brought his hand up. “Shinra Tensei!”</p>
<p>Kisame was thrown back, tumbling like a ragdoll. Before he could regain his footing, Naruto grabbed his right hand, twisted, and pulled. With an all-too-familiar fleshy splat, his hand separated from the rest of his arm, connected by a cluster of bombs. He took aim and fired, sending them rocketing towards an aghast Kisame.</p>
<p>Acting quickly, Kisame zig zagged, avoiding each of the small missiles in turn. As the last one detonated, he charged through the spray and black smoke. Naruto clenched his fists, releasing his knuckle scythes as the rogue nin barreled towards him.</p>
<p>Kisame swung a clawed hand, only for it to be blocked by a bladed backhand, sending sparks flying. They exchanged blows that never hit their mark. Slashes from claws and blades alike sliced through air and clanged against each other. Punches and kicks were blocked and batted away.</p>
<p>Naruto finally found an opening. Thrusting his fist upward into Kisame’s abdomen, curved blades sank into the shark man’s flesh. Naruto brought his other fist up, effectively puncturing both of Kisame’s lungs. With a wheeze, he spat up blood before raising a clawed hand to slash at his attacker. In an instant, Naruto withdrew his fists and extended a bladed hand. “Shinra Tensei!”</p>
<p>The Tailless Tailed Beast was sent flying once more, landing with a splash. Naruto retracted his knuckle scythes as Kisame rose to his feet, his wounds sizzling as they healed. By now, he was thoroughly livid. Rage boiled over inside him like a malicious cauldron. This brat was becoming a thorn in his side, and he planned to knock him out or kill him, whichever came first.</p>
<p>Kisame charged with a roar, his clawed, webbed hands thirsting for blood. Naruto followed suit, his hand cocked back and ready to deliver a sucker punch. His fist collided squarely with Kisame’s jaw with a crunch, but not before Kisame dug his claws into Naruto’s torso. Just as another clawed hand was about to descend, Naruto disappeared in a puff of smoke. A log was now skewered on Kisame’s clawed hand.</p>
<p>Naruto raised his left hand and concentrated. He felt the familiar catch and pulled. “Banshō Ten’in!”</p>
<p>The shark man was sent hurtling towards the blond. Moments before impact, Naruto quickly produced a black chakra rod. With a snap, he separated it from his palm and twirled it, the pointed end ready to impale the shark man. Kisame’s eyes widened as the rod stabbed him, slipping between his ribs and puncturing his left lung, just barely missing his heart.</p>
<p>The blond jinchūriki took a step back just as Kisame lunged forward to swipe at him. A pulse of chakra into the rod froze him in his tracks, drawing out a wince. He screwed his eyes shut and beheld a pair of rippled purple eyes staring at him—into his very being.</p>
<p>Fighting the disruption of his chakra network, Kisame strained to reach for the rod. Gripping it only intensified the debilitating thrum, crumpling his posture. Without the healing from Samehada, he struggled to pull the rod from himself. After a grueling moment, he freed the oversized thorn from his chest.</p>
<p>Not a second later, he felt two more rods stab his back, drawing a pained cry from the shark man. Naruto circled to Kisame’s front, creating two more rods and snapping them off. The blond slammed them into his foe’s shoulders, one after another, each time drawing a wince.</p>
<p>Kisame sank to his knees, unable to heal himself or pull the rods out. Naruto loomed over him as he spoke. “I told you: don’t underestimate me. If you give up now, I’ll let you live. But you’re going to tell me everything you know.”</p>
<p>The incapacitated Akatsuki went over the situation in his head. The leader was a bit unhinged, but he couldn’t desert Itachi or reveal the plans that were being set into motion. He gathered his strength and swiped at the blond with a roar. Naruto blocked the swipe with another black rod and punctured Kisame’s other lung with it.</p>
<p>The jinchūriki watched as the shark man struggled against the pulses of chakra. His arms moved as though they had Rock Lee’s weights strapped to them, and his breathing was labored thanks to his two punctured lungs. Gathering his strength once more, he swiped at the blond again, struggling to break free of the hold the black rods.</p>
<p>Jumping to the side, Naruto could feel an influx of chakra coming from the rods. The interruption of Kisame’s chakra network was only temporary, and he’d started to regain his bearings. Naruto’s eyes widened as Kisame lunged towards him, completely ignoring his wounds.</p>
<p>Enough was enough. Taking a gamble, Naruto sidestepped the shark man, grabbing hold of the chakra rods stuck into his back. Instead of forming a barrier, he concentrated on pulling chakra through the rods. A surge of chakra flowed through the rods and into his system, nearly overflowing his reserves.</p>
<p>Kisame flinched, his beady eyes widening as the massive amount of chakra held within Samehada was being sucked away. The fusion began to reverse as the scaled sword separated itself from his skin. Once he returned to his normal form, Samehada fell with a small splash. Surprisingly, Kisame could still maintain his balance on the water’s surface, which was falling by the second.</p>
<p>Naruto studied the weakened swordsman, secretly hoping he would surrender. His hopes were dashed when Kisame suddenly reached for Samehada and swung with a furious shout. Naruto dodged, which gave Kisame a chance to cut the rods shorter. The jinchūriki’s face set in a scowl as he considered his options.</p>
<p>“I have to hand it to you, you’re stronger than you let on. But this ends <em>now</em>,” Kisame declared through labored breathing. He took a precious moment to channel a small amount of chakra to heal himself just enough to be able to fight. With that, he charged.</p>
<p>Naruto sped towards the man, gritting his teeth as he produced a black rod to use as a sword. The two blades met with a resounding clang. Naruto was no expert, but the lessons he had with Kakashi and Yūgao helped him avoid being turned into mincemeat. The two exchanged strikes in a dance of sparks and clangs.</p>
<p>Finally, Naruto saw his opening. He raised a hand. “Shinra Tensei!”</p>
<p>Kisame was sent careening towards a tree, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of him. He was about to regain his bearings when Naruto bore down on him, aiming a kick at his wrist, causing him to let go of Samehada. With his enemy disarmed, Naruto leapt back, landing on the now waterlogged ground.</p>
<p>Seeing the shark man reaching for his blade, Naruto raised his hand once more. “Banshō Ten’in.”</p>
<p>Just before Kisame could wrap his fingers around the handle, Samehada went flying towards the Konoha shinobi, who sidestepped and let it embed itself in a tree trunk. Kisame rose to his feet, his teeth bared in rage. Naruto braced himself for the inevitable charge. He had to end this.</p>
<p>Just as Kisame pushed off, Naruto clapped his hands together, his fingers flat against each other. He focused his chakra into a single, concentrated point between his two palms. As he slowly separated them, a black, glowing orb materialized. He cradled it in his right hand before releasing it into the sky.</p>
<p>Kisame closed the distance, but Naruto wouldn’t let him have another hit. He raised his hand.</p>
<p>“Shinra Tensei!”</p>
<p>Kisame was thrown away from him like a ragdoll. Hitting the waterlogged ground with a squelch.</p>
<p>Naruto leapt back even further, slapping his hands together again. As Kisame struggled to his feet, Naruto gathered chakra to pour into the inactive gravity sphere, being careful not to gather too much. He took a shaky breath before he shouted at the top of his lungs.</p>
<p>“Chibaku Tensei!”</p>
<p>A pulse rippled through the air, giving way to a low, foreboding thrum. Kisame was up by now, wildly searching for the source of the energy spike. Suddenly, the earth trembled. Deep cracks split the ground beneath Kisame’s feet. Chunks of rock, trees, and masses of soil freed themselves of the bonds they were once held by and started floating. Kisame felt himself being pulled upwards, and hard. He craned his head to see a tiny black sphere floating in the sky, radiating a massive amount of energy. The earth down below opened up as more rocks and trees were ripped from where they sat and were pulled towards the gravity sphere.</p>
<p>Kisame tried to fight the pull, struggling to clamber his way across chunks of rock. It was no use; he felt the pull grow even stronger, the invisible hand tightening its grip on him. He found himself pinned against a small boulder, unable to move. As he watched more and more rock float up towards him, he reflected on his life. Knowing that he had done his part, he made peace with his demise.</p>
<p>Naruto held his focus, sweat beading on his brow as he continued to pull material into the emerging planetoid, letting out a yell. By now, the mass of rock and wood and soil was the size of the Chūnin Exams arena. A low rumble echoed through the area, as though the massive orb was telling him that it was enough. Dropping his hands, Naruto doubled over, gasping for breath. Once his head returned to its normal weight, he dared to look up at what he’d done.</p>
<p>Konan was right: this was a last resort if he’d ever seen one. He surmised that this planetoid wasn’t nearly as large as the one that Nagato created, but it was still sizable enough that its creation had altered the landscape. He knew he couldn’t leave a floating ball of rock hanging there. Slapping his hands together in the Serpent seal, he let the mass of earth fall to the ground. The crater left by its creation was filled once more, albeit unceremoniously.</p>
<p>There was no way Kisame could have survived that, but just to be sure, Naruto searched for his body once the dust settled. All he could see was a motionless, ring-bearing hand protruding from a cracked rock. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the hand was still attached to its now deceased owner. With a single nod, he left the corpse there. He would look for Kakashi and the others later. He needed to find Sasuke first.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Even with his near-blindness, Itachi could see what just happened. After all, it was hard to miss a small planetoid coalescing in the sky and then falling to the ground. Sasuke went back to keeping his ninjato pressed against his brother’s throat. He could try and restrain Itachi, but knowing him, he might try to escape.</p>
<p>He didn’t have to wait long before Naruto landed nearby, stumbling a bit from his fatigue. He approached the two Uchiha, kneeling next to Sasuke. After a knowing look and a nod of understanding, Naruto turned his attention back to Itachi.</p>
<p>“So, what’re we gonna do with him?” The blond asked.</p>
<p>“Something tells me he hasn’t told me everything he knows yet. We’re gonna restrain him, take him back to Konoha, and see if they can’t get him to talk,” Sasuke explained, not taking his blade away from Itachi’s neck. “Send a clone to get Kakashi-sensei and the others. I want you to help me restrain him.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded and created a regular shadow clone, not wanting to think too much about controlling something. The clone sped off towards the other side of the main road while Naruto tried to think of how they could restrain Itachi. They could bind him with rope or ninja wire, but that would only hold for so long until he recovered some of his chakra and gave them the slip. An idea popped into Naruto’s head, albeit a rather crude one. Without a word, he produced a short black rod from his palm, snapping it in half.</p>
<p>Sasuke cocked an eyebrow as he glanced sideways. Naruto continued with his plan. “Hands in front of you, weasel,” he ordered. Itachi complied, weakly holding his hands in front of him.</p>
<p>With cold efficiency, Naruto pierced the older Uchiha’s hands with the black rods, drawing a pained wince from him. Itachi screwed his eyes shut and beheld the same pair of purple rippled eyes that Kisame had seen. He found himself unable to move, and felt foreign chakra disrupting his system. He wondered if this was what it felt like to be put under Tsukuyomi.</p>
<p>Sasuke pulled his blade away apprehensively. “What’d you do to him?” He asked more out of curiosity than concern.</p>
<p>“I disrupted his chakra system. He’s not going anywhere,” Naruto responded coolly. Sasuke nodded as he sheathed his blade, letting out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.</p>
<p>“So, did you get your answers?” Naruto asked with a bit of trepidation.</p>
<p>Sasuke paused before answering. “I’ll tell you later.”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, taking a step back from their captive, who could only stare blankly at the ground in front of him. Naruto and Sasuke took the opportunity to sit and rest. In lieu of a tree or a rock, they each used the other’s back to lean against. It was comfortable, and even offered them the chance to keep watch while they waited for their squad.</p>
<p>About half an hour passed before Naruto stirred. His clone dispelled, sending its memories of leading their comrades to him. He craned his head to see the group emerging. Haku’s arm was wrapped in bandages, but he was able to walk with some assistance. They all looked tired, no doubt from mild chakra exhaustion.</p>
<p>Naruto nudged Sasuke, who turned and regarded his comrades. They stood and were all but tackled by Sakura in a crushing hug which they happily returned, though a bit weakly. When she released them, she regarded them with an almost motherly look in her eyes.</p>
<p>“Idiots, both of you,” she admonished, earning tired, sheepish grins from both boys. “I’m glad you’re okay.”</p>
<p>“Haku, is your arm okay?” Naruto prompted.</p>
<p>“It looks worse than what it actually is. Thankfully it was just a flesh wound, aside from the chakra drain. It’s a good thing Sakura was here. There shouldn’t even be any scars after this,” the ice user answered. His tone was chipper, albeit tinged with fatigue.</p>
<p>Kakashi regarded his two students with a nod. He turned his attention to the incapacitated Akatsuki, noting the black rods piercing his hands. “Should I guess or let you two explain this?”</p>
<p>“It was my idea, sensei,” Sasuke began. “I get the feeling he knows more than he’s letting on. I’ll tell you the details that I know later, but I think he’s more useful alive than dead. I suggest bringing him back to Konoha for interrogation and sentencing.”</p>
<p>Kakashi considered the situation before nodding. “And the black rods?”</p>
<p>It was Naruto’s turn to explain. “Basically, they disrupt his chakra system. He’s been like this since I got here. I don’t know how to create chakra suppression seals, and we wanted to make sure he didn’t give us the slip, so the rods were my idea.”</p>
<p>Kakashi hummed before producing a suppression seal and placing it on Itachi’s forehead, just below his slashed Konoha headband. The masked jōnin regarded his former comrade, an unreadable look in his visible eye. A barely audible sigh escaped him as he rose and turned to his team.</p>
<p>“Naruto, I know this is an odd question, but where’s the sword that Kisame was using?” Haku asked.</p>
<p>The blond gestured in the direction of where his battle unfolded. “It’s over there, stuck in a tree, why?”</p>
<p>“Samehada is one of Kiri’s Seven Swords. I think it would be wise to retrieve it, just to make sure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.”</p>
<p>“I’ll go with you,” Yamato piped up.</p>
<p>Kakashi nodded. “Alright. First thing’s first: Yamato, create some bindings for Itachi before you help Haku. Naruto, get rid of those rods somehow so Sakura can bandage Itachi’s hands. We can’t have him bleeding out before we get back to Konoha.”</p>
<p>Yamato got to work, making handcuffs out of especially potent wood for Itachi, throwing a scowl at his former ANBU teammate. Naruto then created a shadow clone to guide Yamato and Haku to Samehada before dispelling the black rods in Itachi’s hands, leaving gaping holes. Sakura frowned at the prospect of having to patch up one of their enemies, but did as she was told, albeit with reluctance.</p>
<p>“Um, Naruto?” Sakura began, a touch of apprehension in her tone.</p>
<p>“What’s up, Sakura?”</p>
<p>She chose her next words carefully. “What, um…what was that earlier?”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head, his face twisted in puzzlement. “What was what?”</p>
<p>“That, y’know, that thing you did with the rocks and stuff,” Sakura stumbled, not wanting to reveal too much with Itachi around.</p>
<p>It took a moment before it clicked for the blond. “Oh, that. Well…I’ll explain later, okay?”</p>
<p>She could tell he felt the same way, so she gave a nod and left it at that. They all took a moment to rest and catch their breath before Yamato and Haku returned. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura sat in a triangle, their backs against each other. Kakashi regarded his students with an inward smile. The joy he felt was replaced by dread when he realized he’d be giving one hell of a report to both the Raikage and Tsunade. He’d cross that bridge when he came to it.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Before I get into the translations, let me just say that this was probably the most fun I've had writing a chapter so far. I may or may not have had Pain's theme on loop while I hammered this one out. I also may or may not have been shaking with excitement while writing it. A cookie to whoever can guess where I got the idea for this chapter's title from.</p>
<p>Translations:</p>
<p>Kuchioyse no Jutsu - Summoning Jutsu</p>
<p>Shinra Tensei- Almighty Push</p>
<p>Banshō Ten'in - Universal Pull</p>
<p>Chibaku Tensei - Planetary Devastation</p>
<p>Thank you so much for reading! Chapter 22 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Kindred Spirits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto meets with Yugito and Killer Bee.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Chapter 22 has arrived! I hope you enjoy this small break in all the heavy action lately.<br/>Nope, I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The journey back to Kumo wasn’t uneventful, but it wasn’t exciting, either. The retrieval of Samehada was a success, but it sprang to life and tried to attack Naruto, forcing Yamato to create a wooden box to contain it. Sasuke was quieter than usual. He didn’t say a word to Itachi, and only spoke when spoken to. Out of curiosity, Naruto asked Haku about Samehada and subsequently Kiri’s Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Zabuza sated Haku’s own curiosity when he was younger, so the medic’s knowledge of the Swordsmen and their weapons was more extensive than Naruto expected.</p>
<p>The group passed through the main gate and headed straight for the Raikage’s Office. Having recovered from the drain on his chakra by way of Chibaku Tensei, Naruto was back to being his normal energetic self. Samehada was quiet in its box, but every now and again it would try and break out, likely being drawn to Naruto. Stairs were their worst enemy for the moment. Their legs ached, and the countless flights of stairs needed to even begin to navigate Kumo were less than agreeable for the fatigued shinobi.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Mabui ushered the group into the office, where Ay, Bee, and Yugito were waiting. The Raikage raised an eyebrow upon seeing their captive. Yamato’s box was also growing restless, making more noise than it had been previously.</p>
<p>“I trust you have an explanation for why one is still alive?” Ay prompted.</p>
<p>Kakashi went to answer, but Sasuke beat him to the punch. “With all due respect, Lord Raikage, he’s a missing nin of Konohagakure, which means he’s our responsibility. He’s also my brother, and as Uchiha clan heir, I would like to keep all matters involving Itachi Uchiha internal within Konohagakure.”</p>
<p>“And who approved this course of action?” The Raikage probed.</p>
<p>This time Kakashi stepped forward. “I did, Lord Raikage. Sasuke is correct and within his rights to declare this an internal affair for Konoha, especially considering it involves one of his clan members.”</p>
<p>Ay snorted. “Yes, yes, yes, I’m aware of all that clan-specific nonsense. I assume the other Akatsuki member has been elimin—”</p>
<p>Samehada suddenly burst out of the box that contained it, reducing it to splinters. Kakashi narrowly avoided having his mask torn to tatters as the sword flew towards Bee. With a loud thud and a grunt, Bee was on the ground, Samehada writhing all over him.</p>
<p>“What the hell! What is that thing? Get it off of Bee!” Yugito cried.</p>
<p>“Hang on a mo’, Yugito! This thing ain’t attacking me, it’s not even cutting! It’s licking me like a dog licking some pudding!”</p>
<p>Everyone peered down at the spectacle. Bee was right: Samehada’s mouth had returned, and it was licking Bee, much like an excited dog.</p>
<p>“I…I think it’s drawn to him,” Haku offered. “It did the same thing with Naruto, but not nearly with as much enthusiasm as…well, now.”</p>
<p>Naruto deflated slightly. “Great, I’m not even good enough for a stupid sword.”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t that thing sort of feed on chakra?” Sakura wondered aloud.</p>
<p>“Well, yes. Samehada can be a bit fickle. If it doesn’t like your chakra, you can’t wield it. At least, that’s what Zabuza told me. I think it’s safe to say Samehada likes your chakra very much, Mr. Bee,” Haku observed.</p>
<p>“Ha! Ya see?! Not even a sentient sword can resist me, the rappin’ Killer Bee! Whee!”</p>
<p>Yugito and Ay groaned. Haku offered a commiserating smile as Kakashi cleared his throat. “Well, at any rate, yes, the mission was successful, and the attack was prevented. Should anything else happen, please don’t hesitate to contact Konoha. I’m sure the Hokage would be more than glad to lend some assistance.”</p>
<p>“I appreciate the offer, and I appreciate you all going out on a limb and risking yourselves for the sake of Bee and Yugito.” The latter bowed, while the former simply held up a peace sign as he was turned into a lollipop by Samehada.</p>
<p>“Er, Mr. Raikage, sir?” Naruto interrupted. The mustachioed man in question turned and cocked an eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Would it be okay with you if I got to talk to Mr. Bee and Ms. Yugito?”</p>
<p>Ay hummed. “I’ll allow it, so long as they’re alright with it.”</p>
<p>Bee had finally gotten Samehada under control and strapped it to his back as rose to his feet. “Yeah! I’m down to go hang with Naruto, fa sho! What about you, Yugito?”</p>
<p>The blond kunoichi winced at being subjected to more of Bee’s rapping, but she nodded. “Where should we go?”</p>
<p>“Use one of the training grounds within the village, that way we can keep an eye on you in case anything happens,” Ay instructed. The three jinchūriki nodded, though Bee added a thumbs up.</p>
<p>“I’ll go with you, Naruto, just in case anything, well, ‘unexpected’ happens,” Yamato stated. Naruto chewed his lower lip before shrugging and nodding.</p>
<p>“Lord Raikage, if I could make one more request?” Kakashi began. Ay grunted and gestured for him to continue. “I only ask for some assistance in placing a seal over our captive’s eyes. With your permission, we’ll be staying tonight and leaving tomorrow morning for our return journey to Konoha.”</p>
<p>“I’ll make the arrangements,” the Raikage began. “Mabui! Get the sealing experts!” He bellowed. Muffled clicks of Mabui’s shoes could be heard through the door as she skittered about.</p>
<p>Kakashi bowed and the others followed suit, though Naruto had to be coerced by way of Sakura’s hand on his head once again. “Thank you, Lord Raikage. We’ll take our leave,” the masked jōnin stated. With that, Kakashi went to meet with Mabui and the sealing team, Itachi and Sasuke in tow. Sakura and Haku made their way back to the inn for some much-needed rest.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The training ground was little more than a wide, shallow crater, but it would do. The three jinchūriki found a spot that they deemed acceptable and sat in a triangle. Yamato sat nearby, keeping an eye on Naruto.</p>
<p>“So, what did you want to talk to us about, Naruto?” Yugito asked. Normally, she’d be a bit apprehensive around other people, especially with a foreign ninja who also happened to be a jinchūriki. But the latter fact had put her at ease some; it was a common ground between the three of them.</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his head. “Well, I was just wondering what it’s like being a jinchūriki here in Kumo. I was thinking we could share our stories, maybe?”</p>
<p>“Check it out! Tell us what you’re all about; what’s your story, what’s your creed? Then we’ll tell ya two tales, the stories of Nii and Bee!”</p>
<p>Even Naruto couldn’t help but grimace at Bee’s rapping, if he could even call it that. He scratched his whisker-marked cheek. “Well, you already know my name, where I’m from, and which Tailed Beast is sealed in me. So, uh…well. I’ve been a jinchūriki since I was a baby. The Fourth Hokage sealed the Nine-Tailed Fox in me. Since I was little, people have kind of avoided me. They would kick me out of shops, restaurants, ignore me, call me names, stuff like that. Some kids would pick on me, but I didn’t get beat up a whole lot. But I had some friends, and even had a best friend: Sasuke. And uh…my creed, I guess?” His face set into a determined expression. “I never go back on my word. That’s my ninja way. I want to protect everyone that’s precious to me. My friends, my comrades, and my village.”</p>
<p>“You don’t hold any resentment for the village, despite how they treated you in the past?” Yugito wondered.</p>
<p>The younger blond shook his head. “The way I see it, they didn’t know I <em>wasn’t</em> the Nine-Tails, just its jinchūriki. I mean, sure, it sucked being ignored and all that stuff. But I have my teammates and my sensei.” Naruto flashed one of his signature smiles. “What about you guys? What’re your stories and all that?”</p>
<p>Bee was about to break into another rap before Yugito silenced him with a raised hand and pursed lips. He reluctantly swallowed his words as she spoke. “I haven’t been a jinchūriki as long as you, but I’ve had the Two-Tails sealed in me since I was two. I wouldn’t say I was ignored, but I was a bit isolated.”</p>
<p>Naruto cocked his head. “Whaddaya mean by that?”</p>
<p>“Well, I was immediately put into training—training in how to control the Two-Tails. It was…terrible, in a word. All I wanted was to be a kunoichi, or be a semi-normal child, but instead I was put through that damnable training. But I used that resentment to my advantage. If the training was difficult, I would show them that I could do it, so I’d never need to go through it again. Once I was able to get on track to becoming a shinobi, I poured my all into it. I had the same attitude: show them I was capable beyond doubt. I always try to keep my teammates safe and be the best that I can.”</p>
<p>Naruto couldn’t help but smile. “That’s great! That sounds a lot like what I wanna do.” He turned his attention to the other sunglasses-wearing jinchūriki. “And what about you, Mr. Bee?”</p>
<p>“C’mon man, don’t cramp my style with that whole ‘Mister’ crap, ya fool. Now check it out. Killer Bee wasn’t always a jinchūriki. I was a youngin when I got Eight-O from my cousin, ya feel? Your story and mine ain’t far off, folks would see me and scoff, ya see. I’d be in a store and get the rug pulled from under my feet, next thing I’m in the street. But it takes more than that to bother me, Killer Bee! Me and my Tailed Beast, we get along—our bond is tight. So we’re strong, and he’s handy in a fight. Now, I’m a shinobi, as you can see, but the dream is to become the greatest rapper in the world! Whee!”</p>
<p>Both blonds fought to keep a pained expression off their faces, though Naruto had a more difficult time than Yugito. After recovering from what he’d been subjected to, he glanced between the two Kumo shinobi.</p>
<p>“So, both of you have a lot of control over your tailed beast?”</p>
<p>“I do,” Yugito answered. “Bee says he’s befriended his.”</p>
<p>Naruto snapped his attention back to the rapping shinobi. “You? And your tailed beast? Are <em>friends?!</em>”</p>
<p>Bee struck a pose and opened his mouth, fully prepared to let loose another freestyled verse when Yugito turned and scowled at him. “If you start rapping, <em>so help me</em>…”</p>
<p>Her threat hung in the air as Bee shut his mouth and pouted. “Yeah, Eight-O and I are friends. We get along, ya feel?”</p>
<p>Naruto nodded, turning to Yugito with an expectant look on his face.</p>
<p>“The Two-Tails and I get along well enough. We have a mutual understanding, I suppose,” she explained.</p>
<p>The younger blond blew a raspberry. “Man, how did you guys manage that? The Nine-Tails and I don’t get along at all. Every time I tried to talk to him all he would do was tell me how stupid I am and how ‘he’ll be free one day.’” He ended with a funny voice and exaggerated gestures.</p>
<p>“See here, I got an idea. You want the scoop? How about you talk to Eight-O for yourself, get him outta the coop?” Bee pointed at Yugito, striking a pose. “Whaddaya say, Yugito? How ‘bout letting Two-Tails hang a bit with Naruto?”</p>
<p>The kunoichi in question pondered the request for a moment before nodding. “Alright. But only talking—no need to transform right now.”</p>
<p>“Wait, did you say transform?” Naruto blurted.</p>
<p>Naruto’s question went unanswered as the two Kumo jinchūriki closed their eyes and sat still, as though they were meditating. It wasn’t evident when Bee opened his, but when Yugito opened her eyes, they had changed color. Her left eye was a vibrant green, while the right was a bright yellow. Her eyeliner appeared thicker as well, the wings sharper and more prominent. Naruto could have sworn her nails had also gotten longer, while her teeth appeared sharper, her canines in particular.</p>
<p>Killer Bee, however, didn’t seem to show any noticeable changes. Naruto thought his teeth might have looked a bit more squared off, since his mouth now was partially opened, likely out of unconscious habit. The evidence came when Bee spoke, but a different voice sounded.</p>
<p>“So, Bee tells me you wanna ask us some questions, huh?” The voice was certainly deeper than Bee’s, and much to Naruto’s relief, he wasn’t rapping. “Name’s Gyūki. I’m the Eight-Tailed Ox. You’re Naruto, correct?”</p>
<p>Naruto blinked behind his sunglasses, processing the fact that a Tailed Beast was talking to him directly through its jinchūriki. “Uh, yeah. Naruto Uzumaki. Good to meet you. Say, you’re an ox? How the heck does an ox have eight tails?”</p>
<p>“I’m not a regular old ox, ya know. My bottom half looks like an octopus. I’ve got tentacles with suction cups and everything. You can’t tell right now since I’m not transformed, but it’s true.”</p>
<p>Realization hit Naruto like one of Sakura’s punches. An octopus: that’s what Gamamaru told him. Gyūki is an ox with octopus legs.</p>
<p>“So, you’re the poor sod who has the Nine-Tails, huh?”</p>
<p>The younger blond nodded. “Yup, that’s me. Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox.”</p>
<p>Gyūki hummed. “My condolences. The Nine-Tails can be a bit…much.”</p>
<p>“Wait, you know each other or something?”</p>
<p>Naruto’s question hung in the air for a moment before Gyūki answered. “The answer to that is a bit more complicated than just yes or no. So, I’ll explain that another time.”</p>
<p>With a pout, Naruto turned to the kunoichi sitting across from him. “My name is Matatabi, I’m the Two-Tailed Cat. It’s nice to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki.” He nodded with a smile. Though, hearing the slow and smooth voice coming from Yugito was a bit jarring. “I understand you want to ask us some things,” she added.</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek. “Yeah, actually. First off, how did you and your jinchūriki get to where you get along? I’m pretty sure the Nine-Tails hates me.”</p>
<p>“Well, Yugito and I reached an agreement. She’s polite, and I admire her dedication to her teammates and becoming strong. It’s as though she has her own fire burning within her besides just me,” Matatabi explained, ending on a slightly mirthful note. “Gyūki will never admit it out loud, but he warmed up to Bee after being def—”</p>
<p>“Hey, hey, hey, watch it. I was off my game that day,” Gyūki refuted before turning to Naruto. “See, Bee bet he could kick my ass. So, we fought, he won after a few lucky hits, and afterwards I started to like the idiot. His rapping is okay sometimes, but man, it gets old quick.” The younger blond couldn’t help but snicker, which brought a harrumph from the bovine cephalopod.</p>
<p>“You said you aren’t on good terms with the Nine-Tails?” Matatabi asked.</p>
<p>“That’s putting it lightly,” Naruto grumbled.</p>
<p>“Have you, ya know, <em>tried</em> talking to him?” Gyūki chimed in.</p>
<p>“Yeah, but he’s kind of a dick. Only things he says are how he wants out, that I’m weak, and that I should let him out so he can use his full power. Sometimes he would insult me, but that hasn’t happened since my seal was fixed.” Yamato’s ears perked up at the mention of Naruto’s seal, but he relaxed after hearing the bit about it being fixed.</p>
<p>Gyūki heaved a sigh. “Well, that’s just how the Nine-Tails is. He’s kind of an ass, but when he means well, he means well. The only problem is, well, how much of an ass he is.”</p>
<p>Matatabi rolled her heterochromatic eyes, letting out her own exasperated sigh. “Gyūki is right. The Nine-Tails can be disagreeable, but I think it’s worth trying again. Something about you tells me that you’ll find a way. Call it a hunch, or feline intuition.”</p>
<p>“I’m with her. There’s something about you, kid. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but I think you’ll figure something out.” Gyūki offered a thumbs up, while Matatabi nodded. Despite having just had a full conversation with them, Naruto still couldn’t quite get used to hearing different voices coming from his fellow jinchūriki.</p>
<p>He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Er, thanks guys. I hope I can find a way to actually sort of control his chakra. I’ve tried not using it, but after stuff that’s happened, I think it’s time I actually tried. I’m a jinchūriki, and I can’t keep running away from that.”</p>
<p>“Well said,” Matatabi agreed.</p>
<p>Gyūki grunted in agreement. “I think we’d better get going. Bee and Yugito ain’t too fond of having their bodies taken over for too long. I’m sure we’ll be seeing you soon.” With that, the two jinchūriki closed their eyes once more and sat still. When Yugito opened her eyes, they were back to their normal onyx color. Her nails and teeth had also gone back to their previous length. Bee seemed to be himself again as well.</p>
<p>“So, did you find out what you wanted to know?” Asked Yugito.</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his head. “Kind of, I think. Say, would it be okay if we did this again tomorrow? I’d really like to hear from you guys some more. I’d stay longer but I think my team is probably waiting for me.”</p>
<p>“Count on Killer Bee!” The goateed man struck another pose.</p>
<p>Yugito let out an exasperated sigh. “That’s alright with me. We’d better get back, too. It was nice talking with you, Naruto.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, it was nice talking to both of you, too,” Naruto answered, smiling warmly. The two Kumo shinobi turned and made their way back towards the Raikage Office to report back to Ay, while Naruto touched base with Yamato before heading back to the inn.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Naruto was greeted by his exhausted teammates when he opened the door. Haku was sitting up in bed, while Sakura was checking his arm. Sasuke was busy polishing and sharpening his ninjato, only offering a glance and a nod at the blond. The other two greeted him warmly.</p>
<p>“How’s his arm, Sakura?” Naruto asked.</p>
<p>“Fine, for now. It just needs a little time to heal. The damage wasn’t too bad. Like he said, it looked worse than what it actually was. That sword was pretty nasty,” she remarked as she finished tying up the last bandage.</p>
<p>Naruto turned his attention to Sasuke, who was absently polishing his ninjato. “I know you’re usually quiet, but you seem more…brooding than usual. You alright, dude?”</p>
<p>The Uchiha paused, choosing his next words before resuming his polishing. “I’m fine.” His answer was more curt than usual, and his voice sounded almost hollow.</p>
<p>Sakura frowned. “You don’t sound fine. Do you want to talk about it?”</p>
<p>Feeling the pairs of eyes trained on him, Sasuke sheathed his blade, letting out a quiet sigh. “I asked some questions, and I got some answers, but…”</p>
<p>“…they weren’t the answers you were expecting, were they?” Naruto finished. Sasuke gave a small nod. “Well, what…did he say?”</p>
<p>Sasuke folded his hands in his lap. “I wanted to know why. Why he did what he did. I thought it was in some fit of mania or bloodlust or insanity. He said he was ordered to.”</p>
<p>His words hung in the air. Sakura’s stifled gasp broke the ensuing silence. Even Naruto’s clenching fist could be heard.</p>
<p>“…ordered? By who?” Haku asked in a small voice.</p>
<p>Sasuke pressed his lips into a tight line, heaving a sigh through his nose. “He didn’t say, and I didn’t bother to ask.” They could tell that it would be unwise to press further into the details of said orders. Haku decided to shift the focus.</p>
<p>“Sasuke, if it’s alright with you, can I ask you something?” The Uchiha hummed in response before Haku continued. “I know we haven’t talked very much, but is this in regard to…what happened to your cl—”</p>
<p>“Haku!” Sakura hissed.</p>
<p>Sasuke raised a hand in a placating gesture. “It’s fine, Sakura.” He turned his attention back to the bandaged boy. “Yeah, it’s about what happened to the Uchiha. It’s not exactly the talk of the town anymore, so it’s okay that you don’t know. Long story short: Itachi is the reason it happened.”</p>
<p>Haku nodded slowly, absorbing the information. “I see…I’m sorry. This whole situation can’t be easy for you.”</p>
<p>The Uchiha heir shrugged. “I’ll manage. It’s odd. When I was younger, I was hell-bent on killing him. But after a lot of thinking over the years, I decided I didn’t want revenge, just answers. I could have killed him. He even asked me to kill him. But I didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Were you perhaps tempted?” Haku wondered.</p>
<p>“Honestly? I was. I felt so much anger and frustration that was all directed at him. But I knew that if I killed him, I’d be playing whatever fucked up game he’s been playing. I wasn’t about to let myself be his pawn.”</p>
<p>The coal-haired medic hummed as Sasuke continued.  “Actually, I have Naruto to thank for a lot of it. If he hadn’t kicked my ass the first time, I’d probably still be obsessed with revenge, and Itachi would be dead right now instead of being monitored by Captain Yamato and Kakashi-sensei.”</p>
<p>“What will you do once we get back to Konoha?” Haku asked.</p>
<p>Sasuke paused for a moment. “I think I’ll just let him face justice. I want him to be interrogated and stand trial, if Lady Tsunade will allow it.”</p>
<p>The trio nodded quietly, letting a moment of silence pass before Sakura decided to change topics. “Oh, Naruto. What was that thing that you did?”</p>
<p>“Huh? What thing?”</p>
<p>“The thing with the rocks. You said you’d explain it later.”</p>
<p>“Oh. Yeah. That. Well, uh…” Naruto removed his sunglasses, itching one of his eyes as he tried to find the words. “It’s a jutsu. A powerful one.”</p>
<p>Haku chimed in. “What does it do? What’s it called?”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his cheek. “Well. It’s one of my abilities that the Rinnegan gives me. It’s called Chibaku Tensei. Konan explained it better, but basically, I can create a sphere that pulls everything towards it. Rocks, trees, even people. It can be like, the size of a small village, or even as big as the moon.”</p>
<p>“So that’s what that was. That’s…unlike anything I’ve ever heard of.” Sakura couldn’t help but look at her teammate with subdued awe.</p>
<p>“Konan told me it was a last resort. Kakashi-sensei also told me not to use my Rinnegan abilities unless it was dire.” A frown overtook his face. “But there was no way I was letting that guy get away after he nearly drowned us and hurt Haku. He could’ve killed you—could’ve killed all of us.”</p>
<p>Sakura could tell he was trying to convince himself that he did the right thing by going all-out. “You did what you had to do. We were pretty far from any prying eyes, so I don’t think anyone would’ve noticed,” she reassured.</p>
<p>“Well, it is a bit hard to miss a ball of rock that large…” Haku added almost apologetically.</p>
<p>Sakura waved him off. “Regardless, you did what needed to be done. If he wasn’t stopped, he might’ve gotten away and made things even worse.”</p>
<p>“Sakura has a point, whiskers,” Sasuke agreed. “That chakra spike scared Itachi, I think. Otherwise I don’t think he would’ve surrendered as easily.”</p>
<p>“Wait, you guys felt that?”</p>
<p>Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. “How much chakra did you put into it?”</p>
<p>Naruto scratched his head. “I dunno. Enough to make the ball of rock as big as…uh…the Chūnin Exams arena, give or…take…” Realization crept in, making him shrink and rub the back of his neck.</p>
<p>Sakura and Haku’s jaws dropped, while Sasuke let out a sigh. “Exactly.”</p>
<p>Another silence passed over them. This time, Haku broke it. “Can I ask what you talked about with those Kumo shinobi? They’re jinchūriki, too, right?”</p>
<p>“Oh, yeah! Well, we kinda just talked about our stories. Ya know, what life was like for them, how their Tailed Beasts get along with them. Y’know Jinchūriki stuff…I think,” he said, not quite believing the last words that came out of his mouth. He’d gotten a handle on thinking before he spoke, but sometimes he surprised even himself with some of the things that would slip out. Truth be told, it was nigh on a miracle that he hadn’t called Sakura’s strength “monstrous” after the seventh time she sent him through a wall.</p>
<p>Haku offered a small smile and a nod. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Naruto’s stomach growling. “So…should we get dinner?” They all nodded in agreement, their own stomachs feeling empty.</p>
<p>Dinner was pleasantly quiet. Naruto managed to down four bowls of ramen and two plates of tonkatsu. Haku cleaned two plates of grilled fish, and even Sasuke and Sakura had second helpings of shrimp tempura and miso soup, respectively. They would have made idle conversation after eating, but they instead sat in comfortable silence before turning in and surrendering themselves to a deep, restful sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not terribly plot-heavy but not terribly fluffy, either. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 23 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Dreams of Animosity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Naruto meets with the two jinchūriki from Kumo one last time before heading home.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I present to thee: chapter 23.<br/>I don't own Naruto.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sun cast long shadows over the flat, rocky training ground that the three jinchūriki agreed to meet at. The cloud cover was moderate by Kumo’s standards, and the air was colder than Naruto was used to in Konoha. The rocky terrain seemed to suck up every last bit of heat that dared remain in the area. It wasn’t as bad as Frost Country, but it wasn’t the crisp morning that Konoha enjoyed.</p>
<p>The trio sat in a triangle, with Yamato keeping watch once more. With a yawn, Naruto greeted his acquaintances. Bee returned it with two sideways three-pronged peace signs, while Yugito opted for a simple “good morning.”</p>
<p>“So, here we are. What did you want to ask us about today?” She prompted.</p>
<p>“I wanted to know how you guys got your Tailed Beasts under control so easily.” He gestured towards Bee. “I heard that you beat Gyūki in a fight.” He turned his attention to Yugito. “And I…don’t think I got any specifics from you. Only that you went through a crap-ton of training.”</p>
<p>“Ya heard right, me and Gyūki got into a fight. After that, me and him were alright. Yeah.” By now, Naruto had nearly grown accustomed to Bee’s constant rapping. He took it as part of his personality, much like his verbal tic that showed itself whenever he was emotional. Yugito only rolled her eyes. Despite having known Bee for so many years, she wasn’t sure she could ever grow fully accustomed to hearing him rap <em>all</em> the time.</p>
<p>“Yes, I did go through a lot of training to control Matatabi. It wasn’t conventional, by any means. A lot of it was learning to exert my will over her, assert my dominance over her instead of the other way around,” Yugito explained.</p>
<p>Naruto frowned slightly. “Well, I don’t think I’ll be able to do that. The Nine-Tails is one mean huge bastard. Every time I’ve tried to use even just a little bit of his chakra, I end up seeing red and losing control. The last time that happened…” Memories of him nearly ripping the seal off crept into his mind. “…let’s just say it ended better than it could have.”</p>
<p>The two Kumo shinobi nodded. For a moment, only the wind whispered through the training ground. Bee shifting caught Naruto’s eye, which made notice that Bee’s face had shifted into one of optimistic determination.</p>
<p>“Here’s the skinny. See, with Tailed Beasts, there really ain’t such a thing as ‘winning.’ It’s about seein’ eye-to-eye, not lookin’ down from on high,” he explained in a surprisingly normal cadence. Naruto and Yugito’s brows shot up in surprise, before Naruto’s furrowed.</p>
<p>“Wait a second. How can it not be about winning when you just said you beat Gyūki in a fight? Even Miss Yugito said she asserted her force of will or whatever. So, what gives?”</p>
<p>The older blonde hummed. “I think what he means is that once you break through that first barrier, it’s about understanding the Tailed Beast. After I showed Matatabi that I wouldn’t budge or be beaten so easily, things were easier. She came to respect the fact that I didn’t give up.”</p>
<p>Naruto frowned. “So, what’s the deal with the Nine-Tails then? Every time I’ve tried standing up to him, he just laughs at me or gets angry. I’ve never thought about fighting him, but something tells me that might not be the best idea.”</p>
<p>“Tell ya what, lemme hand it over to Gyūki, that way both of ya can talk it up and see. Whee.” With that, the other spectacled Jinchūriki entered a meditation-like state. After a moment of motionlessness, he stirred.</p>
<p>“Bee said you needed to ask me something else?” Gyūki tried to mask his annoyance with a chipper tone.</p>
<p>“Yeah. You and Bee fought before you guys started getting along, right?”</p>
<p>“That’s right. Gotta say, his strength was impressive,” Gyūki mused.</p>
<p>“Well, Bee mentioned something about how there’s no such thing as ‘winning’ with a Tailed Beast, something about seeing eye-to-eye…”</p>
<p>“Ah, yeah. After our fight, we came to an understanding: I’d have a hell of an easier time if I didn’t resist as much. I was sealed in Bee’s cousin before I was sealed in Bee. Truth be told, Bee is the only human I’ve actually gotten along with. Blue Bee was alright, but our relationship was more…professional than anything. He was the jinchūriki, and I was the Tailed Beast. Never really went past that.”</p>
<p>“So, what does this mean for me and the Nine-Tails, then?” Naruto asked as his face twisted in confusion.</p>
<p>Gyūki grew serious. “You’ll have to look within. Try again to talk to the Nine-Tails.”</p>
<p>Naruto pressed his lips together into a tight line. He heaved a sigh through his nose. “I guess I don’t have a choice, do I?”</p>
<p>Gyūki shrugged Bee’s shoulders. “You gotta do what ya gotta do. If it helps, me and Matatabi will be here in case things get outta hand. I do have a suggestion, though.” Naruto looked at him expectantly. “Try asking for his name.”</p>
<p>The younger blond cocked his head. “His name?”</p>
<p>“That’s right.”</p>
<p>He sighed once more. “Alright…I’ll try.” He called Yamato over, asking him to be on standby in case anything strange happened. Gyūki turned control back over to Bee, who watched expectantly as Naruto shifted into a meditative position. Taking a deep breath, Naruto entered his mindscape once again.</p>
<hr/>
<p>He opened his eyes when he heard water dripping. His nose was assaulted with the musty odor of the place. He turned and beheld the cage containing his tenant. The seal was repaired, though the cage was unaltered. Naruto swallowed hard before making his way towards the great metal gate. As always, beyond the gate there was only pitch black. Silence filled his ears. Only the occasional water drop could be heard.</p>
<p>Steeling his nerves, Naruto took a deep breath. “Hey, Nine-Tails! I wanna talk to you!”</p>
<p>Silence.</p>
<p>Naruto was about to call out once more before a vermilion eye slowly opened. The blond flinched as the fox took a deep breath.</p>
<p><strong>“You. You’ve returned. Why are you here?”</strong> he growled.</p>
<p>Naruto stood firm. “Because I need to talk to you about our situation.”</p>
<p>The fox bared its teeth, its face now visible in the dim light. <strong>“And what makes you think you can demand me to speak with you? You’re nothing!”</strong></p>
<p>The blond grit his teeth. “Shut up! I’m trying to make this easier for the both of us!”</p>
<p>The Nine-Tails’ thunderous laughter echoed through the mindscape. <strong>“You? Make things <em>easier for me?</em> You’re a fool! You have nothing that ca—”</strong></p>
<p>His vermilion eyes narrowed as he lowered himself down to stare at Naruto’s sunglasses through the metal bars. The blond fought the urge to take a step back as the fox studied him. <strong>“Something’s different about you. I can sense it. I thought I felt something before, but now that you’re here…”</strong></p>
<p>“So now you feel like talking?”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Silence! There’s something different with you. Something with your chakra. Tell me!”</strong>
</p>
<p>“Why the hell should I tell you?!”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“You want to make things easier?! Start by telling me what’s different about your eyes!”</strong>
</p>
<p>Naruto froze. He cursed himself for not realizing that the fox would be able to tell that there was something different about his eyes. Without a word, he removed his sunglasses. The fox’s eyes widened, its brow furrowing.</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Why do you have those eyes?”</strong>
</p>
<p>“Long story. What’s it to you?”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Those eyes belonged to my father.”</strong>
</p>
<p>Naruto’s face twisted in confusion. “Since when do Tailed Beasts have parents?”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“I’m not going to waste my time explaining something you won’t understand. You having the Rinnegan changes nothing.”</strong>
</p>
<p>“What’s your deal?! What’s so bad about your existence being easier while you’re sealed in me?! Obviously me having the Rinnegan must mean <em>something</em>, or you wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place!”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Your existence is nothing more than a means to contain me! If I had my way, I would have been out of here a long time ago!”</strong>
</p>
<p>Naruto clutched his head, roaring in frustration. “For crying out loud! All I want is to make things less miserable for us! Whether either of us like it or not, you’re sealed in me! And another thing! I didn’t <em>ask</em> for these eyes!”</p>
<p>The fox’s eyes narrowed once more. <strong>“Now you’ve piqued my interest. Tell me, Naruto. How exactly did someone like you come upon the Rinnegan?”</strong></p>
<p>Naruto frowned, crossing his arms. “The hell is it to you? You just said me having them doesn’t change anything. Why the sudden interest?”</p>
<p><strong>“Call it curiosity. Now tell me,” </strong>the fox ordered.</p>
<p>Glowering, Naruto let out a huff before telling his tenant the story of how Nagato was the one to give him the Rinnegan with Konan’s help. The fox listened intently, much to Naruto’s surprise. Silence fell upon the mindscape, making Naruto fidget.</p>
<p>The fox huffed through its nose. <strong>“Quite a story. Seems you’ve wasted no time using those, either. I felt your chakra spike quite a bit yesterday.”</strong></p>
<p>“Yeah. I had to take care of some stuff. Now, can I finally get to what I came here for?”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“If it’ll shut you up, then fine.”</strong>
</p>
<p>Naruto gestured between the two of them. “Whether we like it or not, you’re the Tailed Beast, I’m the jinchūriki. Up until now, every time I’ve used your chakra, it’s been by force, and your anger came with it. Don’t think I forgot about the fight against Pain where you nearly convinced me to let you out.” He ended with a slight bitterness.</p>
<p><strong>“I should remind you that ultimately it was your choice to try and remove the seal,”</strong> the fox pointed out.</p>
<p>“Whatever! Point is, I’ve met other jinchūriki who have way better relationships with their Tailed Beasts. Hell, they even talked to me themselves!”</p>
<p>The fox raised a brow at the mention of his brethren. <strong>“You talked to other Tailed Beasts? Who?”</strong></p>
<p>“The Two-Tails and the Eight-Tails: Matatabi and Gyūki.”</p>
<p>Vermilion eyes narrowed. <strong>“They told you their names?”</strong> He growled.</p>
<p>Naruto’s face twisted in confusion. “Is that bad or something? It’s just a name.”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Your ignorance really knows no bounds. You still haven’t told me why I should agree to whatever you’re about to propose.”</strong>
</p>
<p>“There’s got to be a better way to do this whole jinchūriki thing. A more…even situation.”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“A ‘more even situation’ would be you letting me out of this accursed seal. But I already know you won’t do that. So, please, enlighten me.”</strong>
</p>
<p>Naruto took a deep breath, steadying himself. “Look. For as long as I can remember, I’ve tried to be strong without using your chakra and completely ignoring the fact that I’m a jinchūriki. But after nearly losing Gaara, being hunted by the Akatsuki, and now meeting other Tailed Beasts and their jinchūriki, I think it’s time I stop running away from it. I need to get stronger to protect everyone that I hold precious. My friends, my comrades, my village, even my fellow jinchūriki. I might have the Rinnegan, but I know that unless I find a way to work with you, things will be tougher.”</p>
<p>Expecting a laugh, the fox surprised him when he spoke instead. <strong>“And why should I believe that you won’t simply use me for my power?”</strong></p>
<p>A frown darkened Naruto’s face. “Do you really think I’d be <em>that</em> cruel to something that’s <em>literally sealed inside of me?</em> I’m not stupid, ya know.”</p>
<p>The massive fox let out a huff. <strong>“I don’t trust humans. Especially not those who seek to use my power. What makes you so different? Besides those eyes you have?”</strong></p>
<p>Naruto’s brow furrowed as he shook his head. “I’m not like those people. I don’t want power for the sake of power. I want to protect people.”</p>
<p>The fox merely hummed, narrowing a doubtful eye at the blond. A frustrated noise escaped the Rinnegan user. “Look, don’t you remember the last time I asked you for chakra?”</p>
<p>
  <strong>“I remember you demanding, not asking. You mentioned something about the Uchiha. I only humored you because I wanted to see what would happen.”</strong>
</p>
<p>“I told you that I vowed to keep him from leaving the village and save our friendship. And I did it, didn’t I? That time, I wasn’t angry. I was protecting Sasuke. The other times, like when we fought Orochimaru and Pain, your chakra slipped out because of how angry I was.” Naruto let out an exasperated sigh. “Listen. I don’t have a lot of time right now. I want to—no, I <em>will</em> protect more of the jinchūriki from being captured. That’s the whole reason I came to Kumo in the first place. I’ll show you that I can keep my word and protect my comrades and those that are precious to me.” He pointed at the caged beast. “But you’ve gotta be at least a little more cooperative.”</p>
<p>A moment of silence passed before a low chuckle echoed through the mindscape. <strong>“You’re nothing if not persistent, boy. You’ve piqued my interest. Show me what you can do, and then I’ll consider your proposal.”</strong></p>
<p>Naruto’s jaw set as he gave a single nod. “One more thing,” he said, remembering Gyūki’s suggestion.</p>
<p>
  <strong>“Make it quick. My generosity is almost at its end.”</strong>
</p>
<p>“What’s your name?”</p>
<p>The fox narrowed his vermilion gaze. <strong>“You haven’t earned the right to know yet. Don’t disappoint, Naruto Uzumaki.”</strong></p>
<p>With that, Naruto closed his eyes and returned himself to the waking world.</p>
<hr/>
<p>As his eyes slowly opened underneath his sunglasses, he was greeted by the trio that accompanied him to the training ground earlier that morning. They hadn’t moved much, as far as he could tell. Yamato sat next to Yugito, keeping an eye on Naruto.</p>
<p>“Uh. How long was I sitting here for?” He wondered aloud.</p>
<p>“Only a couple of minutes,” Yugito replied.</p>
<p>“Check it out. The mindscape’s time flow ain’t the same as the real world, yo.”</p>
<p>“Did anything happen?” Yamato asked.</p>
<p>Naruto shrugged. “Nothing bad. I managed to actually talk to the fox this time.” He turned to Bee, who nodded in acknowledgment of the progress. “I asked for his name, he said I ‘hadn’t earned the right to know,’ whatever the heck that means,” Naruto said, mumbling the last part.</p>
<p>“It could be a matter of pride. Matatabi was reluctant to tell me her name until after we reached an understanding, as well,” Yugito offered.</p>
<p>“Is their name really that big of a deal? It’s just a name,” the younger blond said as he crossed his arms.</p>
<p>It was Yugito’s turn to shrug. “Well, considering that you mentioned that the Nine-Tails was reluctant to even speak to you in the past, I suppose it’s not too far off that it would be reluctant to tell you its name.”</p>
<p>“Something else to consider: your name is part of your identity,” Yamato began. Naruto cocked his head, prompting the former ANBU to continue. “Think about it. Knowing someone’s name means you’re familiar with them. You know Bee and Yugito’s names: you’ve established a sense of familiarity with them, even if it’s baseline. The same can be said about their Tailed Beasts. Even though they didn’t know you, they knew the Nine-Tails.”</p>
<p>Yugito decided to add on. “That familiarity allows for a bond to be established willingly. The fox was sealed in you unwillingly. As a result, its disdain for talking to you likely stems from resentment. Which you no doubt plan to change.”</p>
<p>Naruto gave a firm nod. “If I’m gonna get any stronger, I need to stop ignoring the fact I’m a jinchūriki. Using the Nine-Tails’ chakra is something I need to control.”</p>
<p>“Naruto, if you don’t mind me asking, what’s your goal? Aside from wanting to better control your Tailed Beast, of course,” Yugito wondered.</p>
<p>The younger blond paused, considering her question for a moment. “I want to protect those who are precious to me. My dream is to become Hokage and protect the village. But lately I’ve been thinking about how I can protect more than just my village as Hokage. I want to protect my friends, my comrades, and even my fellow jinchūriki.”</p>
<p>Yugito and Bee’s brows shot up at his declaration. “Protect other jinchūriki?” Bee asked, surprisingly without rapping.</p>
<p>Naruto gave another firm nod. “The Akatsuki are after the other Tailed Beasts, which means they’re after other jinchūriki. My team and I have beaten three and captured one. It’s just a matter of finding them and stopping them. They hurt people close to me. I don’t take that lightly,” he said, ending on an almost dark note.</p>
<p>Both Kumo jinchūriki and Yamato could feel Naruto’s resolve. Even Matatabi and Gyūki could sense Naruto’s determination. The two Kumo shinobi nodded wordlessly, small smiles gracing their faces.</p>
<p>Yamato cleared his throat, which let Naruto know that the time of their departure for Konoha was nearing. The younger blond took a deep breath and rose to his feet. “I’m really glad I got to meet both of you. I had no idea there were others like me and Gaara out there. I’ll come visit, that’s a promise!”</p>
<p>“The feeling is mutual, Naruto. I’m sure the Raikage would be glad to have you as well. I look forward to that visit. Maybe we could spar and see how that control has come along,” Yugito said with a warm smile.</p>
<p>“You bet! I’ll be sure to train even harder!”</p>
<p>“Yo, Naruto! Hit me up next time you’re in Kumo! Ya see, Killer Bee has a spot, real sweet. Actually, got a couple, so the sweet factor is double. We can head there to train, so we don’t cause nobody no pain. Yugito, you, and me, Killer Bee! Whee!”</p>
<p>Naruto couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sure, that sounds cool. Maybe if I have time, I can take a trip over here. I’ll definitely find you and take you up on that!”</p>
<p>Bee extended a fist. “Gimme a fist bump!”</p>
<p>The younger blond cocked his head and eyed the large hand. He shrugged slightly and gave Bee the fist bump he asked for. In that instant, he felt a connection. It was subtle, but it was there. He turned to Yugito, whose own fist was extended. Another fist bump, another connection. He regarded his fellow jinchūriki with his signature smile.</p>
<p>“Safe travels, Naruto,” Yugito said warmly.</p>
<p>“Take care of yourself, my man!” Bee said, throwing a thumbs-up at the younger blond.</p>
<p>“I’ll be stronger the next time you see me! See you guys when I see you!”</p>
<p>With that, Yamato and Naruto made their way back to the inn to join their team in finalizing their preparations for the journey home.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The fox makes its first proper appearance! I have to admit, writing dialogue is probably one of my favorite things. I tried to keep Kurama as in-character as possible without doubling down on the tsundere, since his interaction with a Naruto with the Rinnegan would go differently than canon. Thanks so much for reading! Chapter 24 is in the works!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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